The Last Daughter
by Thuktun Flishithy
Summary: Please go read The Girl of Tomorrow; I'd rather have that stand as the definitive version.
1. Steel 1-1

I always knew there was something strange about me, I guess.

It started with the colors. I began to see more of them, strange ones I had never seen before. Whenever I tried to talk about it with anyone else, they'd just give me a strange look. When I started reading books on colors, I found that there were some- well, most- that people couldn't see. Infrared. Ultraviolet. X-rays. Plenty of more. I learned to keep quiet about them, I never really liked the attention. I started giving them names, gibberish I thought felt suitable for the ones I saw. As I got older, I began to see even more. I'm pretty sure I can actually see the entire spectrum now. Let me tell you, the world looks _awesome._

The hearing came next. It was pretty much the same as the colors, I started hearing stuff that no one else could hear. It got pretty overwhelming at first; ants sounded like elephants when they skittered about, but I soon learned to keep a bottle on it, hear what I _wanted _to hear. I usually keep it at slightly above average, but at the drop of a hat I can tell you a conversation going on halfway around the world. I've learned plenty of freaky things, if I were a type of person into blackmail I would have more dirt than a landfill.

My body's tougher than usual, too. I first learned that when I was goofing around with scissors when I was about seven and the blades dulled on my pinky. I can't even remember the last time I actually bled or felt pain.

Well, physical pain. I've felt a lot of the other types. It hurt most when I lost Mom. Emma was my rock at the time, and my only friend. I still don't know why she became my friend, I was always very timid because of my... nonconformity. It was pleasant having her as someone to just be around.

Until the Big Day, that is.

* * *

**S**

* * *

It was during summer break, and it was somewhere around noon. Emma had invited me over to her house, and I decided to go, even though Dad wanted me to go to some summer camp. Her dad drove over to pick me up, with Emma in the passenger seat. I hopped in the back seat, and they took off. My excitement grew when I saw a couple of tubs of ice cream between them.

We weaved through the streets as we headed to their house. Alan was trying to talk to Emma about taking after-school classes, something that my friend wasn't very keen on doing. As for me, I just looked out the window and watched the colors go by. You know how some people gripe and moan about how dull some places look, especially when the weather's bad? Not me. Even on the worst rainy days everything is like a giant kaleidoscope to me.

My reverie was broken when I heard Alan shouting. I extended my senses, hearing both his and Emma's heart rates skyrocket. Time seemed to slow down as I realized there was a dumpster blocking us from going any further. I looked past it, and realized that someone had deliberately blocked it with a pile of cinderblocks.

_Oh God, _I thought to myself. _What's happening?_

I heard something else as well. More heartbeats, not fifteen feet behind us. Lots of them, too. I turned in my seat and saw a van parked behind us, and I realized all the heartbeats were coming from there. I looked inside and saw more than a dozen Asian-Americans clamber out, followed by several more hopping over the hood. They were armed with knives and clubs, and I realized they had the green and red colors of the ABB.

They advanced on the car. I began to panic, thinking of a way to get out of danger. Maybe we could try to shove the dumpster with the car, or make a run for it? Even as they passed through my mind I realized just how stupid those ideas sounded.

There was the sound of breaking glass, followed by Emma's screaming. I twisted in my seat and saw that a lanky gang member with a bandana was pulling on her, trying to yank her out of the car. Emma continued to scream, trying to wrest her hair free from the man. Another man was smashing my window open as well, and he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt.

_Oh God, oh God oh God oh God, _I thought to myself. _They're going to hurt me! They're going to hurt Emma!_

Suddenly, my resolve hardened. I had never felt so angry before in my life, it was such an alien feeling to me. _**NO, **_I thought furiously. **_THEY WON'T._**

I stood my ground, refusing to let the man pull me out. He stumbled briefly, then pulled even harder. He might as well been trying to move a fucking mountain for all I cared. I reached up with my hand, wrapping it around his wrist. Then I _squeezed._

There was a hideous sound of cracking bone and tearing flesh, and the man screamed as he pulled away his destroyed wrist. I briefly felt nauseated as I saw the shattered bones under his skin, then I swallowed the feeling and pushed it deep inside. I could be nauseated later, not now. I pushed against the car door, wrenching it free with a groaning noise. I shoved the man away with the door, sending him flying into the alley wall. He hit the ground hard and lay there, unmoving.

The man grabbing Emma saw what happened and let go of her, pulling a big kukri knife from his waistband. He swung at me just as I stepped out of the car to face him. If I wasn't so pissed at the time, I would've probably taken a perverse pleasure in seeing the look in horror on his face as the blade snapped against my throat. Other than that reflexive look of shock, he had no time to react before I shoved him down the alleyway. He tumbled down the incline, not stopping until he smashed into the dumpster with a loud clang. My senses told me he had broken several vertebrae and internal bleeding. I didn't care.

I spun about to face the other gang members, a look of unadulterated _fury _on my face. They stared at me in shock, and I smelt that several of them had actually pissed their pants. All of those heartbeats I had heard were now pounding in their chests. They were afraid. I took a few steps forwards, balling my hands into fists.

They fled. It wasn't even some organized retreat, they trampled each other like panicked animals as they did their damnedest to get as far away from me as possible. In a matter of fifteen seconds they were all gone, excluding the ones I had just pounded into hamburger meat. As soon as the last Bad Boy hopped over the van, a wave of relief washed over me. We were safe.

"Taylor?" Emma called out softly.

I turned around. Emma gaped at me, her eyes as wide as saucers. Alan had gotten out of the car, defensively putting Emma behind him. He eyed me as though I were some wild animal, and I heard both of their heart rates elevate just by looking at me.

They were afraid of me.

I took a step forward, only for Alan to push Emma away from me. "J-just stay away from my daughter!" he stammered at me, trying not let his fear show.

"Emma?" I said almost inaudibly, looking at her. She shied away from my eyes, as if she was afraid what would happen if she so much as spoke to me.

I backpedaled in horror, looking at my hands. There was blood on them, already drying into that sticky brown mess. I didn't know what to do.

So I ran.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I dashed by them, hopping over the dumpster and making a beeline for my house. A flurry of colors rushed by, x-rays and gamma-rays fluttering across the sky as they shone from the sun. A summer rain began to come down, washing away the blood on my hands, and soon I was drenched. I didn't care, there was far more important stuff on my mind. I had no idea how fast I was going, but my dad was surprised when I got home. He must've seen how upset I was, because the first thing he did was ask what happened.

To my surprise, I told the truth.

I have to give my dad credit, he stayed silent the entire time as I poured out everything that had happened only a few minutes ago. His heart rate rose, as did the temperature on his face, when I got to the part with me fighting off the men who had attacked us. He was pissed, that much I could tell.

"Are you okay?" he finally asked when I had stopped. "Did they hurt you?"

I shook my head, swallowing the dry lump in my throat. "I'm fine." I paused, then asked something I never thought I'd ask my dad. "What's _wrong _with me?!"

To my surprise, Dad's heart rate lowered. He sighed deeply, lost in thought. I could tell, the neurons in his frontal cortex were really sparking up. He got up from the couch, stretching slightly. "Come with me," he said softly.

I did as told, following him downstairs into the basement. Dad began pilfering through a bunch of boxes he had in the corner, then pulled a big one up. I could really see the strain it had on his muscles, whatever was inside had to be heavy. Dad set the box down between us, then reached inside and pulled something out. It kinda reminded me of a rocket you'd see in old pulp stories... if space explorers were the size of ants. There was a big glass canopy over the body of the rocket.

"What is it?" I asked, looking it over. There was some bizarre looking circuitry inside, as well as designs that would make any tinker jealous.

"This is what we found you in," Dad said. "Back when I worked as a deep-sea fisherman, I found this thing bobbing near the bay. I brought it up and found you inside. Your mother and I had been trying for a baby for some time, with no result. So, we took you in as our own."

My heart practically skipped a beat as I processed the realization. "I... I'm not your daughter?"

"You are my daughter," Dad quickly said. "Your mother and I raised you, fed you, loved you. I don't give a damn what DNA you got, you're Taylor Hebert."

The realization was a bit much for me. For a few minutes I was just silent, coming to grips with what Dad just told me. I ran a hand over the rocket. "What...what am I?" I finally managed to say.

"I had an old bud of mine who was some low-level tinker take a look at it," Dad replied. "He said the design was like nothing he had ever seen before, even for other tinkers. It wasn't some mishmash of mad science stuff, it was all connected and interchangeable."

I quickly connected the dots. "I'm not from around here, am I?" I asked softly.

Dad shrugged. "You might get an answer in this," he said, pulling a red cloth out of the box. Unfurling it, he revealed what appeared to be a red cape of sorts with a big yellow "S" symbol on it. "You were wrapped in this when I found you. I also showed it to my tinker friend. He couldn't cut a single piece from it to examine, even with a nano-blade. Touch it."

I reached out hesitantly, brushing my fingers over the "S". Before I knew it, I was in some strange laboratory. An older man was standing before me instead of Dad. He had kindly eyes, and his dark hair had streaks of grey in it. He was dressed in some unusual robe, which had the big "S" on its chest. "Hello," he said softly.

"Who are you?" I asked somewhat forcefully.

The man smiled a second or so later, as if he was unaware I was there. "This is a pre-recorded neural message, so I'm afraid you can't ask me any questions. I wouldn't be surprised if you're doing that right now, begging me for answers. You shall receive."

The man straightened himself. "My name is Jor-El, and I am your birth father. Your birth name is Zara Jor-El, and you are from Krypton."

"Krypton," I breathed with amazement. "I'm an alien."

"Krypton is a high-gravity planet orbiting a red giant that we call Rao," Jor-El continued. "Or rather, _was. _By the time you receive this message, it will have been destroyed. I will not go into specifics, there is a vast library of Kryptonian history in your rocket that will explain it far better. What you need to know is that you were sent to Earth for a reason. It is in grave peril from a threat they believe to be a savior, one that comes from the space between space. I have sent you, the last daughter of Krypton, to continue the legacy of my people and to save another from destruction. You will have great gifts with which to accomplish this. Earth's sun is far younger, the radiation it outputs will fuel powers beyond imagining. Its gravity is weaker, which means that you will possess strength far greater than even the greatest of Earth's champions. Your power will only grow with time. It will be necessary, considering what you shall face." Jor-El smiled once more. "Goodbye, my only daughter."

I found myself back in the basement. "Holy shit," I breathed.

"Now you know," Dad said. "Just remember, Taylor, that I'll always be your dad, no matter what."

"Thanks," I said rather absentmindedly, catching him in a bear hug. "It all makes so much sense now." Setting him back down, my gaze turned once more to the cape. I studied it, contemplating all that I had just learned. Jor-El's words echoed through my mind. _Save another from destruction. _It was then that I realized what I was going to do.

I was going to be a superhero.

**A/N: This is my first Worm fanfiction. I decided to go with the recent trend and add my own two cents to the mix. I noticed no one had actually ever done one were Taylor was basically Superwoman, so I decided "why not?"**


	2. Steel 1-2

Of course, just because I decided to be a superhero didn't mean I was ready yet. Three questions were burning through my mind as I walked upstairs to my room with the rocket and cape in my arms.

_How do I prepare to fight crime?_

_What should my costume be like?_

_What will be my alias?_

I plopped down on my bed, sitting with my legs crossed as I put the items before me. I studied them, using the full range of the spectrum to try and learn about their nature. I noticed something that almost looked like a scroll inside the rocket, and decided to pull it out. As I unfurled it, I realized what it was.

"Seriously?" I muttered. "Microfilm?"

Of course, it was much tougher than normal microfilm, just like everything else Jor-El sent with me. I zoomed in with my vision and realized that there was a veritable library in there. Surprisingly enough, it was written in English. He must've really done his research on the planet before he sent me.

I put the microfilm back in the rocket and set it under my bed. I sat upright, wondering what my costume should be. I couldn't really go with white, that was Scion's thing. Part of me wanted to try to emulate Alexandria, she was my favorite Protectorate member. At the same time, though, I wanted to go my own direction with the costume. Perhaps there was something from the microfilm I could draw from?

Thankfully, there was a table of contents of sorts on the scroll, telling just how much I'd need to unfurl it to find a certain topic about Krypton. Sure enough, there was a section about cultural icons. I hurriedly unfurled the scroll, skimming over a vast array of subjects, then found the section. With growing anticipation I read into it, absorbing like a sponge what Jor-El had printed down.

As it turns out, Krypton never had capes like us. Their entire history was spent without worrying about powered-up psychos, or Endbringers, or any other crazy shit. I almost envied them for that. Briefly, I wondered what it would've been like to grow up on Krypton, going by the name of Zara. Then I realized that I would've never even heard of Dad, or Emma, or Mom_. _Maybe I would have been happier, but I didn't want to focus on something like _maybe._

I brushed the thought away and continued reading. Though Krypton never had capes, they did have heroes of legend, just like us. Jor-El had even put pictures of them to look at. They were almost always dressed in some type of armor with the symbol of their house on the breastplate, as well as a nice cape. I glanced over at my own cape, the one with the "S" symbol on it. If what Jor-El said on the scroll was true, it was the emblem of the House of El. It was also a symbol of hope.

Hope. That was something that had been kinda beaten out of us by the Endbringers and Slaughterhouse Nine. Some people revered Scion as a bastion of hope, but even he seemed incapable of turning the tide, though he made things a whole lot better than they would've been without him. Could I be the shift in the balance? Jor-El had said that I would be stronger "than even the greatest of their champions". He seemed to know about capes, and yet he still said that. Just how tough was I?

I decided I could figure all of that tomorrow. I put the rocket and my cape under my bed, then went to sleep.

For the first time in a while, I dreamed.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"How are you doing?" Dad asked me as I settled down for breakfast.

"Better," I told him. I decided not to tell him that I was going to be a superhero. Besides, I had a feeling he already knew.

"I gave Alan a call, asking him about what happened."

I looked up from my cereal. "You did?" I asked weakly.

Dad nodded. "He's sorry about reacting like that. He kinda freaked out when you went ballistic against those thugs, but he's calmed down since yesterday and says he hopes he didn't hurt your feelings."

"That's good, I guess," I replied softly, playing with my cereal. It wasn't him I was worried about, not by a long shot. My mind raced back to that look of horror on Emma's face, and the spoon in my hand bent.

I suddenly became aware of another heartbeat near our house, as well as the sound of sneakered shoes pattering on the ground. A few seconds passed, then there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," I told Dad, rising from my chair and heading over to the door. Even before I opened it I realized who it was behind the thin wooden panelling. That's another thing about having eyesight like mine, it's impossible to get surprises.

"Hi," Emma said sheepishly.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"So," I began, gently rocking on my bed, "how are you?"

"I'm fine," Emma replied, swinging back and forth on my swivel chair. "I have you to thank for that."

There was an awkward pause as we just looked at each other, thinking of something to say.

"Taylor," Emma began, "I'm... sorry for acting like that yesterday. It's just..." she trailed off, retreating back into silence.

"I understand," I replied. "I would've been scared if I were in your shoes, too."

Another pause.

"Something tells me the ABB's gonna stay away from mousy girls from now on," Emma half-heartedly joked.

I chuckled. It was a terrible joke, but I needed it at the time. Emma giggled a little as well, and soon we were practically rolling on the floor together. It felt good, laughing with her again, even if the joke sucked.

"So," Emma continued, trying to stifle some lingering giggles, "what are you going to do now? You're a cape, right?"

"Yes," I lied, deciding not to tell her I was actually an alien _just _yet. "I guess I am."

"Are you going to join the Wards?" Emma inquired. "That'd be pretty cool, wouldn't it?"

Admittedly, I hadn't considered it yet. I don't know why I didn't, it made perfect sense at the time. "Maybe," I replied. "I'm not sure just yet."

"Oh, come on," Emma said with mock exasperation, lounging back in her chair. "You have an Alexandria package! Just think how kickass a Wards member you'd be!"

I shrugged. "Don't they already have one?"

"Aegis? Yeah, he's a hunk," Emma replied dreamily. "But even he can't just do what you did. I mean, that dude's knife _broke_ when he hit you with it. You could probably beat Aegis up with your pinky."

I scratched the back of my head absentmindedly. "My dad probably wouldn't want me to join in."

Emma shrugged. "Maybe you could become a solo hero. Sneak out at night and beat up bad guys. He doesn't have to know about it."

I considered what Emma said. On one hand, I could easily manage that. On the other, I didn't want to go behind my dad's back and keep on lying to him.

"I don't even know what powers I have," I finally said.

Emma grinned. "Let's go find out."

* * *

**S**

* * *

I stood before the hull of the beached ship, contemplating the thick steel plating. It was in good condition, even with a few years in the Graveyard to keep in mind. I pressed my hand against it, feeling the cool metal under my fingers.

"Come on! Punch it!" Emma shouted from a good distance away. That was my idea, I didn't want her to accidentally get hurt while I practiced.

I curled my hand into a fist, then pulled it back. _Think about those gangbangers from yesterday_, I told myself. _Get angry. _I could feel my temper rising just thinking about it. I took a deep breath, channeling that rage. Then, I clumsily swung forward with all of my strength.

I must admit, I was kinda surprised when my fist punched clean through the hull like it wasn't even there, burying my arm up to my shoulder in it. I pulled back, staring in shock at the grapefruit-sized hole I made.

"Holy shit," I muttered.

"What happened?" Emma inquired loudly. "Did you dent it?"

I didn't respond. I gripped the edge of the hole I made, then pulled. A massive steel plate bigger than me was wrenched free with the sound of popping rivets, and I held it in the air, weighing it in my hand. To my surprise, the plate didn't bend under its own weight when it should have. Another aspect of my powers, apparently. I tossed it a few feet away, trying to gauge how much effort it took. Not much, I learned.

"Holy crap!" Emma exclaimed, walking over. "That must weigh a few hundred pounds or something!" She grabbed at the plate, trying to lift it. Despite the obvious effort on her face, it didn't budge an inch.

"Come on, don't pull a muscle," I said, carefully grabbing the plate away from her. I hefted it in my hand, then crumpled it under my fingers. I took hold of it with both hands and began to casually fold it like I would a piece a paper, soon making a rough ball with it. Gently, I placed it back on the ground and dusted my hands off, admiring my handiwork.

"Jesus," Emma muttered. "You're, like, as strong as Alexandria." She cautiously tapped it with a sneakered toe. "Can you fly?"

"I don't think so," I replied, rolling the ball away from us with a casual tap of my own. "Wouldn't I know if I could?"

Emma shrugged. "How about jumping? You got strong legs, maybe you could jump really high."

I decided to test it out. "Stand back," I told Emma. She did as told, cautiously backpedaling ten feet away. I squatted down, bracing my leg muscles. Then, I jumped upwards. I rocketed into the air, going higher and higher. I squeaked when I looked down and realized that the boats in the Graveyard were suddenly looking much smaller than before. I squeaked again when I finally began to fall back down, quickly gaining speed. I tumbled through the air as I fell, then smashed into the ground face-first with a loud _thump_. I became aware of the sound of footsteps, then found myself being flipped over.

"Are you okay?!" Emma asked, looking very concerned.

I spat out a glob of wet sand. My mouth felt gritty. "Gross," I sputtered. I rose from the ground, spitting out residual grains of sand. "That wasn't very fun."

"Did it hurt?" Emma inquired.

"No," I replied. "It didn't."

"That's really cool," Emma said. "You fell a hundred feet and didn't even get a scratch!"

"My clothes are ruined, though," I replied.

"My dad's out at work right now, I can put them in the wash," Emma responded cheerfully.

I stretched, shaking more sand out of my hair. "That sounds good," I said.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"What's your costume gonna be like?" Emma asked, lounging back in her chair.

"Dunno," I replied, drying my hair. Emma had brought me some of her sister's old clothes while mine were in the wash. They fit well, but they showed more skin than I cared for. "I'm thinking about just going with something simple."

"You should go with blue," Emma said. "It would match with your eyes."

"Wouldn't I be wearing a mask?" I asked. "My eyes would be kinda hard to see."

"Oh come on," Emma groaned, walking over towards me. "Masks are so cliched. You should be like the New Wave guys and ditch them."

"People in the New Wave don't have to worry about thugs shooting up their friends and loved ones," I retorted. "I might be bulletproof, but you aren't. Neither is my dad."

Emma shrugged. "Maybe we could do some other stuff." For a few seconds she studied my face, then she removed my glasses. I hadn't the need to wear them since I was six, but I didn't want to garner attention by getting rid of them. "Can you see alright?"

I nodded. Emma folded my glasses and placed them on her desk, then went back to work. She pushed my hair back, moving it so it didn't cover my face. "You already look different," she said, grabbing for a mirror. "Look."

She was right. I really did look different. My face looked fuller, and my eyes were really shining without the glasses to distort them. Suddenly, going without the mask seemed a tad bit less unreasonable.

The ringing of my cell phone disrupted any further contemplation on the matter. Dad wanted me home, so I hastily threw on my half-dried clothes and bid Emma goodbye.

* * *

**S**

* * *

As I brushed my teeth that night, my mind went back to Emma's suggestion about changing my look when I went out as a cape. I removed my glasses and pulled back my hair like Emma had done, pondering the pale face looking back at me. I straightened my posture a bit more, trying to give off an air of confidence. It still didn't seem convincing enough. Admittedly, it's kinda hard to fool yourself like that, especially if you have eyesight like mine.

I remembered something I read a few years back. It was an article about speedsters, especially the first ones to appear. Some of them, if they were fast enough, would vibrate their faces slightly instead of wearing a mask, resulting in cameras simply capturing a blur. If I had recalled correctly, it was protected under the "unwritten rules" of parahuman conduct, but eventually considered too bothersome to use by the younger generations.

Could I do the same trick? I reduced my vision to what I considered "normal" levels, then tried to vibrate my face. For a few moments, nothing happened, but eventually I could see a slight blur on my face.

I stopped vibrating and finished brushing my teeth. There was plenty of time to practice that later, I decided. When I went to bed that night, I dreamed of Krypton.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Over the summer, I developed a bit of a routine for myself. I would spend some time in the morning with Dad, then go hang out with Emma. We would go get a bite to eat or watch a movie, then sneak over to the Graveyard so I could practice my powers some more. I could feel myself getting stronger with each day, soon I was practically bench-pressing small ships. I ran laps around the beach, having Emma try to clock my speed with a cheap radar gun. We stopped when I got to around 200 miles an hour, the gun's max measurement. It's pretty exhilarating, feeling the wind scream past my ears like that.

After a few hours training in the Graveyard, Emma and I would split up and head home. I would eat dinner with Dad, spend some time with him, then go up to my room to work on my costume and read a little bit more on Krypton. There was a book about sewing somewhere in the house, which proved to be very helpful. I ended up spending so much time there that Dad started calling it the "Fortress of Solitude".

Finally, on August 29th, I decided I was ready.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I made sure Dad was asleep, listening in on his heartbeat until it was the low steady one that indicated restfulness. It was around midnight, and there was no Moon out. Of course, it made no difference to me. I slipped out of bed quietly and carefully removed my costume from a box I had secreted away in my closet. It wasn't much at the time, I felt that a simple costume was for the best. My father's blue work jeans came on first, followed by my sneakers. Then, I pulled a blue sports shirt over my head. A red and yellow version of the House of El's emblem had been carefully stitched on its chest. It had taken more than a few shirts to get it right, trust me. Finally, I took my cape and tied it about my shoulders.

My hair had been pulled back by some hairpins, and my glasses were on the drawer. I straightened my posture, then started vibrating my face until it was a blur. Then, I opened my ears to the world. Believe me when I tell you that chaos doesn't even begin to describe hearing every last thing in an entire city.

_mommyiwantaohgodyesharderwhere'smyshoesthat'sanicecatHELP_

I focused on the cry for help, pinpointing its position. I turned to it, using my vision to peer past endless layers of wood, concrete, and brick. There. Some young teenaged girl was running for her life from a thuggish looking man slowly gaining on her. I opened my window, made sure it was closed behind me, then jumped to the ground and bolted towards the girl's location, my feet barely touching the ground.

"This looks like a job for..." I began, then realized I still hadn't picked out a name yet. "Eh, fuck it."


	3. Steel 1-3

The girl was no older than me, if I had to make a guess.

She was barreling through a street in one of the more downtrodden sections of the city, her small legs pumping like pistons as she ran. Her dirty blonde hair was trailing behind her, and the left strap of her tank top was torn. The thug behind her was a brutish looking man twice her size, a switchblade clutched tightly in his right hand. A swastika was tattooed on his chest, I could see it under his shirt. He was a member of the E88, then.

The girl was terrified, I could also discern. Her frantic heartbeat was like the pounding of massive drums in my ears, and I could _smell_ the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Occasionally she would turn her head back and see the thug gaining on her, then call for help again. No one that would care was around to her it.

Except me, of course.

The thug was likely going to kill her or rape her if he caught her, maybe both. I felt a bit of my dad's temper surge up at the thought of that. The thug was no different from the ABB goons that had attacked Emma and I. If it weren't for the fact that I had powers, I could've ended up like her, a terrified girl cowering in fear because of the selfish whims of some asshole who was power tripping.

I guess that's why I hit him a _bit _harder than I had intended do. I was still restraining myself to a ridiculous extent, otherwise his head would've been turned into a thick paste and splattered across the street. Nonetheless, I could hear and feel his jawbone shatter when my fist connected with it. For a moment, he just stood there with a dazed look in his eyes, then he keeled over unconscious, the knife clattering uselessly to the ground. I stood over him, making sure that he wouldn't die from shock or blood loss, then unfurled the rope I had brought with me. In half a second, I had him hogtied. I must admit, I kinda felt proud at the moment. My first act as a superhero!

"What the fuck?!" I heard the girl scream behind me.

I whirled about, making sure my face was still blurry, then spoke. "Are you alright?" I asked in a deeper voice than usual. Even as the words came out of my mouth I cringed, I sounded like an eight-year old mimicking his dad. It was still better than letting her hear my real voice, I guess.

"I-I'm fine," the girl replied shakily between gulps of air. She glanced at the unconscious form of the thug, then back to me. Already her heart rate was returning to normal, and her adrenaline was finally crashing. "I thought I was a goner."

I heard yelling in the distance behind me, apparently my impromptu rescue had not gone unnoticed by the other gang members nearby. "Run," I told the girl. "Call for help."

She complied, fishing for a cellphone as she took off at a light jog, occasionally turning to look at me. I whirled about and saw several gang members advancing on me, all of them armed with clubs and chains. One of them even had a pistol. I began to feel a little nervous, I still had no idea what could and what couldn't actually hurt me. For all I knew, I still wasn't bulletproof.

I decided to remedy that by going for the gunman first. I raced forward, my feet barely touching the ground as I caught him in the gut with a haymaker. He stumbled, vomiting from the force of the blow, then I conked him out with a casual slap to the face. The other gang members snapped their heads, obviously shocked at how quick I did that. They shouted a bunch of curses I never heard before, then lunged at me. I observed it in an almost detached manner, to me they looked as though they were moving through water with how slow their movements were. Then, I attacked.

The second thug I took out was some tall fat guy with an obscene tattoo right across his forehead. I kicked him in the chest, sending him stumbling away, then jabbed a finger in his temple. He collapsed like a flabby house of cards.

The next looked no older than fifteen. I could've sworn that he was from Winslow, and I suddenly became very conscious of the possibility that the blur might not be enough to conceal my identity. He swung clumsily at my face, brass knuckles curled around his tattooed fingers. I have to give him credit for actually doing that, if his heartbeat was telling the truth about just how terrified he was. I ducked under his arm, allowing him to hit the third guy, a short Caucasian man in his late twenties or early thirties. I had to cringe at the sound of his cheekbone shattering, it was just awful.

The kid's eyes widened as I swung at his face, sending him sprawling on the ground with a weak groan. With him taken care of, I turned my attention on the older thug. Blood was trickling from a sizable gash on his cheek, and his heart rate was through the roof. When I started towards him, he chose the easier way out and fainted. With a crinkled nose I realized that the bastard pissed himself.

I brushed my hands off, trying to scrub away the excess blood on my knuckles, when suddenly I heard the sound of metal pattering on the damp asphalt behind me. I turned around just in time for a whirling mass of blades to smash into me, sending me stumbling back a few feet. My attacker bounced from the impact, rolling a good fifteen feet before it finally came to a halt. As it rose, I realized that it was Hookwolf, one of the capes in the E88. A knot suddenly formed in my stomach as I realized I was just about to fight one of the deadlier villains in the city. When I heard the girl running to safety, however, my resolve hardened.

Hookwolf lunged again, but this time I was ready for the attack. I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a particularly large hook in the process, then kicked him in the back. He rolled forward in an uncontrollable tumble, not stopping until he smashed into a nearby wall with enough force to dislodge of handful of bricks. Hookwolf rose again, a few broken pieces of blade clattering to the ground as he did so. He now had a vaguely wolf-like form, if wolves were the size of mini-vans. I scanned him, looking for weaknesses or something I could use against him.

There. A sphere of what appeared to be meat hidden within the insane whirlwind of metal that was my opponent. It must've been where he stored his normal body when he transformed or something. I charged at him before he had time to react and began to tear away at the blades protecting the core, trying to wrench it out of him. Hookwolf seemed to realize what I was doing and panicked, trying to flay me with all of his blades. It was a fruitless effort, I could hear the blades snapping against my skin as I dug deeper, almost at his core now.

The swirling metal around me began to shrink away, and I could see that the core was getting bigger and more defined. In a matter of seconds, Hookwolf was in human form again, revealing a brutish looking man with blonde hair and a wolf mask covering his face. I paused, wondering what trick he was going to try next, only to be surprised when he turned about and _ran. _The image of a large neo-Nazi man running for his life from a fourteen-year old girl, I must admit, is kinda hilarious. For a few seconds, I just looked at him with a dumbfounded look on my face, then gave chase. It was a short race. In two seconds Hookwolf was unconscious and lying at my feet, bound in a hogtie.

I couldn't help but feel a little proud of myself as I stood over the limp form of one of the most dangerous capes in Brockton Bay. _Not bad for my first night out_, I thought.

My reverie was broken when I became aware of another heartbeat behind me. I turned about, finding myself looking at a woman in a curvaceous military uniform with an American flag tied around her waist as a sash. Another flag served as a scarf, hiding the lower part of her face. A look underneath it revealed a rather pretty woman of Middle-Eastern descent, likely in her late twenties or early thirties.

Of course, I was more focused on the 30-pound anti-tank rifle in her tiny hands.

"Identify yourself," Miss Militia said.

I took a nervous gulp.


	4. Steel 1-4

Holy crap. Fighting Hookwolf _and _meeting Miss Militia on my first night out? I honestly didn't expect that to happen. I just kinda stared at her for a few seconds, feeling more than a little nervous and fanstruck. I suddenly became very self-conscious of my surroundings, how might she react to an unregistered cape beating down a bunch of E88 thugs?

"Identify yourself," Miss Militia repeated, raising her rifle ever-so-slightly. Her heartbeat was low and even. She was calm, in control of herself, but certainly not relaxed. I couldn't really blame her, it's not every day someone hands Hookwolf his purist ass.

Time seemed to slow to a near imperceptible crawl as I thought of a suitable answer. I didn't want to give her my name, but I also didn't have a cape alias chosen yet.

"Zara," I finally answered.

Miss Militia slowly eased the grip on her rifle as she studied me keenly, looking me over from head to toe. "First night out?" she inquired.

I nodded, feeling relieved. She saw that I was a newbie hero. "How did you know?" I asked.

"Your costume, it's a rush job," Miss Militia replied. Her gaze shifted from me to the hogtied form of Hookwolf, and her eyes widened slightly. "Is that who I think it is?" she asked with more than a little surprise.

"Yeah, that's Hookwolf," I replied sheepishly. "I ran into him while saving a girl from some of his thugs." I gestured to the unconscious men on the ground.

"I must say, that's really impressive," Miss Militia said. "We've been gunning for the higher up E88 members for quite some time. I'm glad you were able to step in." She paused briefly before continuing. "Are you alright?" she inquired.

"I'm fine," I replied. "Had a few scares, but I'm unscathed."

"That's good to hear," Miss Militia said warmly. "Especially considering who you just took out. Hookwolf's torn his way through more than his share of new heroes on the block. I'll be glad to see this xenophobic bastard behind bars." She moved towards Hookwolf, making sure that he was secured. I could see that she grew a little more nervous as she drew nearer. "What powerset do you have?" she inquired as she inspected the knot I had made.

"Not sure yet," I replied. "I think I might have an Alexandria package."

Miss Militia whistled, impressed. "We could certainly use someone like you on the Wards," she said. "Aegis is the only one with the package in the team, but even he wouldn't be able to kick the crap out of Hookwolf."

"Are you asking me to join?" I asked.

"I don't see any reason why not," Miss Militia replied, the rifle disappearing into a kaleidoscopic cloud as she pulled out a phone from her pocket and hurriedly texted something. "The PRT will be here in a few minutes to pick up Hookwolf and I. You could ride along with me, come to the headquarters and register with the Wards tonight. You don't have to file a cape name yet if you're still trying to come up with one, and you'll have at least some security on the team."

It made perfect sense to join the team, I thought. I all would have to do was go with Miss Militia to the PHQ, get some paperwork done, produce a physical-

-my heart skipped a beat as I realized I would need a physical. Dad never took me to the doctor, probably because he knew it might spill my little secret. What if I had to get one at the PRT building? They had tons of tinker tech there, it probably wouldn't be too hard to get a blood sample from me. It would be even easier for them to analyze that blood and realize that I wasn't even from the same fucking solar system as them. Would they take me away from Dad if they found out I was an alien?

"I'll... think about it," I finally replied uneasily.

Miss Militia raised an eyebrow. She had not expected me to respond like that. "This can be very dangerous," she said in a serious tone. "The E88 has several capes in its numbers. Powerful capes. They won't take lightly to someone getting Hookwolf behind bars, they'll want to get back at that person. You don't even have a mask on, Zara! Do you really want to have superpowered neo-nazis bearing down on you and your family?"

I paused at that. Would the E88 be able to trace this back to me? Even if they couldn't hurt me, they could certainly hurt Dad or Emma. "Could you keep quiet about me, then?" I inquired.

"If you're that concerned for your safety, I'll keep your name and description out of the report," Miss Militia said. "The offer to join the Wards still stands, Zara. You won't have to worry about the E88 targeting your family if you join."

I nodded weakly. "Thank you." I suddenly became aware of sirens in the distance. I focused my vision on the source of the noise and saw a large armored truck approaching from a mile or so away. "I gotta get going," I told Miss Militia.

"Before you go, could you tell me what the 'S' means?" she inquired. "I mean, you still haven figured out your cape name yet."

"It's not an 'S'," I replied. "It's the sigil of the House of El. It represents Hope."

With that, I bounded away.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I ran the last leg of the way home, I didn't want to make a noise disturbance with my landings. Within a minute after leaving Miss Militia I was back on the lawn of the house. It was then that I became aware of the fact that Dad's heartbeat was now agitated. With a knot forming in my stomach I peered into my house and saw that he was sitting in his armchair, facing the door.

I hopped up the porch steps and took a deep breath, then slowly opened the door. "Hi, Dad," I said weakly.

"We need to talk," he replied coldly.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I sat down on the couch, facing Dad. More and more heat was rising from his face, and his heartbeat was dangerously high. I took a nervous gulp, then asked a stupid question as I absentmindedly rubbed my knuckles.

"What do we need to talk about?"

I could've sworn I saw his heart almost explode. "What the hell were you thinking?!" he snarled furiously, finally letting his bottled-up temper escape from its prison. "Going out and trying to be a cape, looking for trouble? For fuck's sake, you have blood on your knuckles!" He gestured at my hands, a vein bulging in his forehead.

"It's not mine," I replied weakly.

"Have you considered just how reckless you just were? You could've been hurt, or _worse_. You didn't even bring a mask with you!"

I swallowed a dry lump in my throat. "I didn't need one..." I croaked out. "I blurred my face..." I did a brief demonstration, hoping to convince him.

Dad forced a laugh out. "It's nothing a tinker couldn't get around, Taylor. Even if they can't hurt you, they could go after the ones closest to you. Did you stop to consider that? You might be bulletproof, but I'm not." He took a deep breath, trying in vain to calm himself down. "Why did you go out?" he asked through clenched teeth.

As soon as those words reached my ears, something inside of me snapped. "Because I had a purpose!" I yelled back, rising from my seat. "Do you know what it's like to be me? To work to drown out all of those _voices_ I hear non-stop? To worry about losing control? I had no fucking idea what was wrong with me! I thought I was going to be a lonely, self-hating mess for the rest of my miserable life!" I glared right at him, clenching my knuckles so hard they were turning white. "Then you showed me the rocket and the message it had inside. I'm like _this _for a purpose, the first one I've ever felt I had!"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. Dad's heartbeat was higher than ever, and I could smell the increase of adrenalin and other chemicals. With a sinking feeling in my gut, I realized that he was _scared_. Can you imagine that feeling, when you realize that the only person that you care about is terrified of you? I learned that firsthand that night. My anger evaporated in a flash. "I... I'm sorry," I said softly, sitting back on the couch.

Dad's heart drummed like a rabbit's, then he slowly began to calm down. "This really matters to you, huh?" he asked quietly.

I nodded. It was the only thing I could really do at the moment.

He sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. "You can keep doing this, but under my rules. Rule 1: wear a mask, even if its some cheap-ass thing you can get for a quarter. Rule 2: Bring a phone with you, call me if you get in any trouble. Rule 3: You're back before midnight, and it's only on weekends. I don't want you flunking your classes because you're too tired."

"I don't think I actually need to sleep," I said. "I actually can't remember the last time I was tired."

Dad sniffed. "Fine, all week. But I still want you back before midnight. I also want you to try and get into the Wards."

"Thanks, Dad," I said, giving him a hug and a peck on the cheek. "I'll make Mom's scrambled eggs in the morning."

Dad grunted. "Now that we're done with that, what _did _you do tonight?"

"I stopped a mugging and beat up Hookwolf," I replied.

His eyes widened at that. "The metal Nazi guy?"

"Longish story," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he said with a weary sigh.


	5. Interlude I

Director Piggot looked up from the report with weary eyes. "So," she began, exhaustion clear in her voice, "there's another independent in the city."

"Yes, ma'am," Miss Militia replied. "She came to save a young girl from some E88 thug, then accidentally drew the attention of Hookwolf and several low-level members."

"Impressive, especially considering that we're talking about Hookwolf. Normally, this would've been a fatality report," Armsmaster said from the corner of the office. "She has shown herself to be quite capable."

"Or she has some partners," Piggot retorted. She turned her gaze back to Miss Militia. "Was there anyone else present at the scene?"

Miss Militia shook her head. "No, there wasn't. It was just her, the thugs, and Hookwolf."

"If what you're saying is accurate, then we may have another Alexandria package prowling the streets," Armsmaster said. "She would make a valuable member of the Wards."

"I did offer to have her come with me, but she said no," Miss Militia added.

Armsmaster shrugged. "Not uncommon. It's strongly possible that she's hiding it from her parents or guardians, joining the Wards would require their permission."

"Still, we shouldn't give up on her so easily," Piggot said, her eyes glancing back down at the report. "She told you her name's Zara, correct?"

Miss Militia nodded. "I was told she hadn't decided on an alias yet. She also didn't have a mask, but her face was blurry. I couldn't discern anything particularly identifying."

"An old speedster trick," Armsmaster mused. "Nothing a well-made camera couldn't handle, though it's also possible she might also employ some other techniques to help it. I could put her name and general description into the computers, see if I can produce a result."

"We could also use a description of her costume," Piggot added. "I have a feeling we'll be having more chance encounters in immediate future."

"I made a sketch of her after she left," Miss Militia said, pulling a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and handing it to the director. "I'm afraid my drawing skills aren't exactly up to par."

Piggot unfolded the paper and scanned it up and down, her face a blank slate. "What's with the 'S' on her chest?" she finally said.

"According to her, it's not an 'S'," Miss Militia replied. "She said it was the sigil of the House of El."

"House of El?" Piggot inquired.

"It's likely related to either the Hebrew or Caananite faiths," a female voice said from a speaker on Piggot's desk. "El was the name of the supreme god in both religions. It's a Northwest Semetic word."

"I was wondering when you were going to put in your two cents, Dragon," Armsmaster said. "What else do you know about the House of El?"

"Only that it doesn't exist," Dragon replied.

There was a brief silence in the room.

"How-?" Piggot began.

"I searched every database I could access with some advanced linguistic algorithms," Dragon said. "There has never been something called "the House of El", and there has definitely never been a sigil like that for any religion or group."

"Why would she make it up?" Miss Militia asked.

"It's possible that she might be mistaken or lied to you," Dragon replied. "If it was the latter, I can only guess why she would do it."

"If she lied about that, she might have lied about other things," Armsmaster said. "She doesn't strike a very trustworthy figure."

"Or she simply wanted to add some mysticism to her superhero identity," Dragon retorted. "Considering that Zara is a name derived from Arabic, and she loosely based her sigil on the god in the Hebrew faith, she might have wanted to deliberately anger the E88."

"She's doing a damn fine job of it," Piggot muttered to herself. She turned her gaze to Armsmaster. "I want her identified as soon as possible. Something tells me it'd be in our best interests to have her in the Wards, where we can keep a good eye on her."

Armsmaster nodded. "Yes ma'am."

* * *

**S**

* * *

Lung reclined in his La-Z boy, his eyes staring up at the ceiling underneath his ornate metal mask. A great blow had been struck against the E88 the previous night, a fact that had many of his men quite pleased. Without Hookwolf, it would be much tougher for the E88 to defend the more remote outskirts of their territory, something he planned on taking advantage of.

Something, however, was troubling him. It was a nagging thought at the back of his head, reminding him that someone else had struck the blow for them. If what his eyes and ears at the border with the Empire's territory told him was accurate, it was a young girl.

A young girl that had easily defeated Hookwolf.

His memory raced back a month, when he had learned that two of his men had been hospitalized by a girl with immense strength. It was no doubt in his mind that they were the same person. On one hand, she had shown no love for the ABB and was more than willing to hurt the hapless Boys who made the foolish mistake of crossing her.

On the other, the same went for the E88.

The girl would make a useful weapon against his only main opposition to domination of the city. It was unlikely that she would willingly fight for him, but less implausible to nudge her attention away from him and more towards the Empire. If Hookwolf had failed to defeat her, then the other capes in the Empire would also have no such luck. Then, when the city was his, he would deal with her directly.

He had a feeling that his path would intersect with hers in the near future. Whether it would bring him to ruin or prosperity hinged on the actions he made.

Lung rose from his La-Z boy and stretched his muscles. There was work to do.


	6. Steel 1-5

I stood by my word and made Dad scrambled eggs in the morning. It certainly cheered him up, I could practically see his taste buds do a dance of joy. I just poured myself another bowl of cereal and sat down facing him, absentmindedly swirling the spoon around. I kinda grew out of eggs when I could see them up close.

"I'm thinking of transferring you to Arcadia," Dad said between bites of egg. "It would look really good on your college applications, and you certainly have the grades for it."

It was a valid point. I was already a fantastic student, and I suddenly found myself toying with the possibility of using my superspeed to enhance that. "Do we have the money for it?" I asked as I finished my cereal.

"With your grades? I won't have to worry too much about paying for college," Dad replied with a light chuckle.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Did you see the news this morning?" Emma asked excitedly as we walked through downtown. "Hookwolf's been arrested!"

I nodded. "Guess who took him down?" I said proudly, puffing up my chest.

Emma's eyes widened, then she grinned. "Your first night out and you didn't tell me," she said with mock indignation. "Honestly, I thought we were closer than that."

I shrugged. "It was a last minute decision."

"You're gonna have to tell me all about it," Emma said, barely constraining just how excited she actually was.

I told her everything, all the way from me heading out, to beating Hookwolf, to meeting Miss Militia, and finally how Dad found out. Of course, I left out the part where I feared that the Protectorate would find out I was an alien and bring me in for study. As far as she knew, I just wanted Dad's permission to join in before I accepted.

"Sooo..." Emma trailed off, "are you heading there right now?"

I nodded.

"Cool," Emma said, her approval clear on her face. Then, the realization hit her. "That means you brought your costume with you. What's it like? Can I see it?"

"I'm actually wearing it under my sweatshirt," I replied. "It's just jeans with with a blue sports shirt and a red cape."

"No mask?" Emma inquired.

I shook my head. "I just take off my glasses and pull my hair back. It's not like I'm gonna let anyone get a good look at my face."

"Fair enough," Emma said. "Hiding in plain sight. That's pretty cool."

"Dad isn't so happy, though," I said. "He wants me to wear a mask. I highly doubt a flimsy leather eyepiece is gonna keep the bad guys from guessing who I am."

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a gun being cocked. I froze in place, my head snapping to the source of the sound. I realized that it was coming from the nearby bank. I peered through the thick walls and realized that two men were inside, dressed like Mario and Bowser. The one dressed as Mario was holding some Tinker weapon, which was what must have made the sound. The one dressed as Bowser carried a pair of batons and was in the midst of forcing a bank teller to open up the vault. I realized that they were Uber and L33t, a pair of local villains known for both their video-game theming and their habit of failing spectacularly.

"Taylor?" Emma asked, gently nudging my shoulder.

"There's trouble going on," I muttered. I removed my glasses and handed the over to Emma. "Hold on to that," I told her as I ducked into a nearby alleyway and shrugged off my sweatshirt. I straightened my shirt and pulled my cape out from its hiding place in the sweatshirt pocket. Fastening it on, I then darted past Emma, making a beeline for the bank.

Two separate fights with capes one day after the other. I must have set some local record.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I skidded to a silent halt behind a wall, peering through it at my objective. L33t was doing a patrol of sorts around the main room, occasionally pointing his Tinker weapon at one of the hostages to elicit a scare out of them. His heartbeat was slow and even, he was clearly confident. The heartbeats of the hostages hammered in my ears like an all-percussion orchestra, they were terrified. I gritted my teeth at the thought of him enjoying their reactions, and my hands balled up into fists. He would go down first, that much I decided.

Suddenly, a girl no older than me slowly reached into her pocket and delicately pulled out a smartphone. She began to type something into it, most likely trying to get help. Unfortunately for her, L33t took notice of that and aimed his weapon right at her. I didn't care whether or not he actually would shoot her, just the fact he pointed it at her sprang me into action.

I could pinpoint the exact moment of his shock when I appeared from behind the wall and delivered a good kick to his gut, sending him sliding away on the floor. He panicked, blasting a fireball at me with his tinker weapon. I stood my ground; the fireball could hurt the girl and the other hostages behind me if I dodged. It struck my chest dead on, enveloping my body in a gout of flame. I could feel the heat washing over me, but I didn't feel any pain. Whatever facet of my Kryptonian biology that made me so durable apparently extended slightly outwards; my shirt didn't even get singed. The lower half of my pant legs were burnt to ash, however.

I raced forward before L33t could fire off a second shot and wrenched the Tinker weapon from his hands, breaking one of his ring fingers in the process. He opened his mouth to scream in pain, but I shut him up with a jab to the temple. L33t slumped to the floor, unconscious. All in all, I had taken him out in 6 seconds.

I heard footsteps behind me, and I turned in time to dodge a swing from Uber's baton. I stood there for what seemed to be a few seconds, watching him slowly bring the baton downwards, then casually stuck out my foot. Time seemed to speed up again, and Uber tripped over my foot and faceplanted hard onto the ground. There was a soft crunching sound, and a cursory look through his head revealed that he had broken his nose. I planted a sneaker on his back and promptly hogtied him with some straps he was using for the Bowser costume, then stood up again, dusting off my hands.

I turned back to the hostages behind me. "Are you alright?" I asked in that same voice I used last night.

They all nodded. The girl seemed really shaken up, however. Her heartbeat was like a jackhammer and her eyes were fixated on the floor, she had been scared witless when L33t had pointed his weapon at her. I walked over and extended a hand. She looked up at me, revealing a mousy face with a lot of freckles. It was then that I realized that she was Panacea, I had seen her face on the news a few times. "You alright?" I asked softly.

She nodded, then took my hand. Suddenly, her eyes practically bulged out of her sockets. "Holy shit," she squeaked.

Before I could ask what she meant, I suddenly became aware of the sound of someone running behind me. I let go of Panacea's hand and whirled about to see that L33t had recovered from his knockout and was making a run for it. Just as I prepared to give chase, however, I became aware of another sound. It reminded me almost of that sound a cartoon bomb makes right before it hits the ground...

That was when something smashed through the window and slammed into my back, sending the both of us rolling across the floor until we hit the far wall. I rose to my feet first and realized that the something in question was none other than Glory Girl, Panacea's sister. She sprang to her feet, hovering just over the ground. She was wearing jeans and a tank top instead of her costume, apparently this was an emergency visit. A strange aura surrounded her, shining a faint... well, I guess it would be proper to call it ultraviolet or something. I always called it octarine.

"Sis told me a few capes were robbing the bank," Glory Girl said cockily, cracking her knuckles like some schoolyard bully. "Looks like I managed to snag one of them."

"I'm not a-" was all I managed to get out before she lunged at me, swinging a finely manicured fist at me. I actually had to put some effort into my sidestep, she was that fast. She skidded her feet on the ground to stop her sudden advance and whirled about, apparently quite miffed about my dodge. The aura surrounding her grew brighter, practically lighting the room with octarine. This was the field she used to demoralize her enemies, I realized. I also realized that I wasn't feeling particularly demoralized. Did the fact that I was an alien have anything to do with it?

"Lucky move," Glory Girl said, trying her best to constrain her frustration. Her eyes fell onto my sigil. "What's the 'S' stand for? Supergirl?" she asked mockingly. She was trying to enhance her field's effects, hoping to demoralize me enough for her to roll over me.

"I don't want to fight you," I said, putting my hands up to show I meant no harm.

"Of course you don't," Glory Girl replied, lunging forward. "I'm invincible."

I ducked under the clumsy attack and swung upwards, catching her in the gut with my fist. I could feel a shockwave expand outwards from where the blow connected, and the field suddenly disappeared. Glory Girl went stumbled back, surprise clear on her face. The field began to reappear, however, and her confident demeanor with it. "You'll pay for that," she growled. "I'll have sis patch you up later."

She hefted a desk over her head and tossed it at me. I ducked underneath it, where it promptly smashed into a nearby wall at a good fifty miles per hour. The entire room shook with the impact, and a chandelier above the main room began to wobble. Then, it fell, careening towards the hapless people below. Time crawled to a halt again as I sprang back to the room, stretching my arms over my head. One by one the people began to panic in slow motion as they realized what was falling towards them. With a final jump, I caught the chandelier in my arms and slowly eased it down to the ground, away from the people.

Unfortunately for me, this opened up my back to attack. Before I could do anything, Glory Girl took hold of my cape and flew out of the building, spinning me about. She steadily increased her speed, the momentum pulling my cape against my throat. I choked against it, flailing my legs helplessly in the air.

"Enjoy your swim!" Glory Girl shouted, finally letting go of me. I rocketed through the air like a human bullet, falling in a parabolic arc to the center of the bay. Unfortunately for me, I didn't know how to swim. With how fast I was going, I was probably going to hit the bottom of the bay and drown in its polluted waters. I closed my eyes, bracing for the inevitable impact...

...it didn't come. A few seconds passed as I realized that I had stopped moving, then I warily opened my eyes. I was hovering a few feet over the bay, horizontal to the water. A large wave crashed down, lightly spraying my face with seawater. Steadily, I began to right myself until I was floating upright, my toes just above the water.

"Holy shit," I muttered. "I can fly."

For a few seconds, I simply floated there, wondering how the fuck I just did that. Then, I willed myself to move. Sure enough, I managed to right myself. Apparently flying wasn't so hard to do, once you figured out how to do it in the first place. I rose above the waves, focusing my vision on the approaching figure of Glory Girl. I felt a bit of my temper rise at the sight of that cocky look on her face, as far as she knew I could've been drowning in the bottom of the bay. I decided to wipe that grin off of her face and rocketed right at her, the wind screaming in my ears as I made a beeline right for her.

There was a massive impact as we collided, and I could see that her field was down. We tumbled through the air, soon making a rather clumsy landing on the street right by the bank. Glory Girl's field had recharged just in time to pop again when she hit the pavement. She rose groggily, a furious look on her face. Bystanders nearby were pulling out cellphones, hoping to videotape something spectacular.

"The two capes attacking the bank were Uber and L33t," I said, preparing to defend myself at an instant's notice.

"And you're probably their little shared whore," Glory Girl spat.

Oh. Well, time to pull of the kids gloves.

I flashed forward, popping her field like an overinflated balloon with a casual slap across the face. She snarled and swung a fist at me, a pitifully faint octarine glow around it. I stood my ground, letting her fist smash into my face with enough force to punch through steel. There was a clanging sound, and she howled, pulling back her bruised knuckles. I jabbed a finger at her solar plexus, causing her to double over, gasping for breath.

"Fucking... bitch," she hissed between gasps.

"We're done here," I replied. Then, I took to the air, leaving her to ineffectually curse on the ground.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I rejoined with Emma some distance away from the bank, having recovered my sweatshirt. I had hastily cut away the burnt parts of my jeans, making some improvised shorts.

"What happened back there?" she asked as I put my glasses back on. Already a PRT truck was speeding towards the bank, siren blaring.

I stopped blurring my face and resumed a slight slouch. For some reason, I had forgotten the mask. "Stopped Uber and L33t in the bank, then accidentally got in a fight with Glory Girl."

"Holy shit."

I shrugged. "All in all, not my best outing. L33t got away because of Glory Girl mistaking me for a villain, and I had to fight her. However, I did learn that I can fly."

"Jeez," Emma muttered. "You got some really cool powers."

Oh, if she even knew the half of it.

"So..." Emma trailed off. "Where to now?"

"The library," I replied. "I'm going to do some research with my new superspeed."

"You do that," Emma said dismissively. "I'll just do some stuff online."

I grinned. Fine by me.


	7. Interlude II

Piggot rubbed her temples, trying to alleviate the growing migraine that had begun a few short hours ago. "Run this by me again," she said in a low tone.

Miss Militia shifted uncomfortably before she spoke. "Well, apparently Uber and L33t attempted to rob the Bay Central earlier this morning dressed as some video game characters. Panacea was also in the bank at the time, and she sent a text to Glory Girl asking for help. L33t noticed and threatened her with his weapon-"

"-and that's when Zara appeared," Piggot finished.

Miss Militia nodded. "She quickly took Uber and L33t down, and then Glory Girl appeared and mistook her for a villain."

"And now we're here," Piggot groaned. "Do you realize just how big of a PR fiasco this damn thing is?"

"I could imagine..." Miss Militia said weakly.

"No, you really couldn't," Piggot replied tersely, glaring at the rest of the gathered Protectorate members. "In case you've all forgotten, Uber and L33t videotape _everything. _There's now a video going viral on Youtube showing Zara beating down one of the most popular capes in the city."

"It appears that Glory Girl was at fault," Armsmaster said. "I've examined the video myself. Zara successfully took both of them down and was in the process of making sure the hostages were safe when the Dallon girl attacked."

"That's the problem," Piggot retorted. "If it was just some villain who got the upper hand, we'd just be dealing with some blow to morale and the reputations of heroes in the city. Instead, we have a popular and looked-up to hero who attacked a fellow hero and recklessly caused $50,000 in damages. We're lucky L33t ran before he could videotape Dallon nearly crushing the hostages with the chandelier."

"Which Zara caught before it could hit them," Miss Militia added.

Piggot gave a short, humorless laugh. "Like any ol' good Samaritan. It'll just make public opinion turn against the New Wave even more. I can see the headline in the paper: 'Glory Girl Assaults Hero who Foiled Bank Robbery'. Dallon's lucky her mother's the greatest lawyer in the city."

"So, what do you want us to do? Damage control?" Battery inquired.

"In a way. We need to get Zara into the Wards." Piggot turned her gaze to Armsmaster. "How's the search for her identity going?"

Armsmaster shook his head. "Not well. I strongly suspect now that 'Zara' is a pseudonym she used." He paused briefly before continuing. "Director, do you really want to have her in the Wards? She has not shown herself to be very honest."

"She has shown herself to be a proper hero," Assault retorted. "Non-lethal takedowns, even when she got attacked, and she risked her neck to save the hostages. Hell, there are Protectorate members who don't handle situations half as well."

"You might have a point, but we need to get Zara into the Wards if we want to keep a good public perception of capes in the city," Piggot replied. "Armsmaster, continue your search for her. Just go by physical description, examine the L33t video if you have to. If we put pressure at home, she might concede to joining."

"Yes, ma'am," Armsmaster replied.

Piggot turned to the other capes in the room. "Keep an eye out for her when you go on patrol. If you spot her, try to talk to her, get her to join the Wards."

"What are we going to refer to her in reports?" Battery inquired. "It just doesn't feel right to throw her name around in the city."

"How about Samaritan?" Assault offered.

Piggot shook her head. "That's a cape operating in LA."

"How about Supergirl?" Miss Milita offered jokingly. "That's what Glory Girl kept calling her."

"That's a stupid name," Armsmaster retorted.

Piggot shrugged. "Good as any, at least until she picks one for herself. I'm making it official." She dismissed the gathered capes and sat back down, rubbing her temples again.

Outside the office, Assault snickered. "Supergirl? Really? That sounds way too silly to be taken seriously."

"Piggot might be a _little _bit upset," Battery replied. "I wondered why she actually took that name, it might piss the cape off."

"Maybe she's hoping Supergirl will join the Wards just so she can change the name," Assault suggested with a grin.

Behind them, Armsmaster frowned.

* * *

**S**

* * *

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** Topic: Glory Girl fights New Hero?**

****In: Boards ► Brockton Bay ► Cape Doings ► Heroes****

Lurker (Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)

Posted on September 1st, 2009:

Yeah, apparently Glory Girl got in a brawl with some new hero and smashed up Bay Central in the process. No word from the PRT yet as to what exactly happened. Rumor has it that GG mistook the new cape as a villain.

**(Showing Page 1 of 1)**

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Replied on September 1st, 2009:

Seriously? What the hell happened to make that happen? And are there videos of it?

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Replied on September 1st, 2009:

The official PRT report just came in. Uber and L33t decided to rob the bank while dressed as Mario and Bowser, and Panacea happened to be there. She texted GG for help, then the new cape came in and curbstomped them. Unfortunately for her, GG arrived and mistook her for the villain.

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Replied on September 1st, 2009:

I kinda have to feel bad for the rookie. I hope she didn't get too bad a thrashing from Little Miss Alexandria.

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Replied on September 1st, 2009:

Actually, it was the other way around. Eyewitness accounts say that the new cape actually beat her without a scratch and left the scene in a hurry. The report says as much as well, albeit in a more official matter.

Edit: Found a crappy smart phone video that shows the latter part of the fight. [LINK] "We're done here." Daaayum, that's ice-cold.

**IluvMyrddin4EVA **(Veteran Member)  
Replied on September 1st, 2009:

Holy shit that was brutal. I couldn't even see the punches! That new cape's got spunk, I have to give her that.

BTW, what the hell does that 'S' on her chest even mean? Is she a Scion fan?

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Replied on September 1st, 2009:

Looks like GG isn't the toughest hero in town anymore, huh? I guess she actually isn't invincible after all.

And I don't think Scion, no matter how awesome he may be, has a monopoly on anything beginning with an 'S'.

EDIT: Apparently the PRT's calling her Supergirl. That's a pretty dumb name, amirite?

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Replied on September 1st, 2009:

I just saw the video L33t was taping when the new cape arrived. Isn't anyone a bit weirded out she isn't wearing a mask? Maybe she's like one of those New Wave capes and wants to be fully accountable?

**End of thread: (1,)**

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Hey, sis," Victoria said, nudging Amy's shoulder. "What are you reading?"

"Just browsing PHO," Amy replied, hurriedly stuffing her phone back into her pocket. "I was reading about Hookwolf's arrest."

"Well, we're here," Victoria said, rising from her bus seat and stretching. "Ahhhh. So, how does it feel to start high school, sis?"

Amy shrugged. "I'm kinda nervous."

"Don't be," Victoria said. "You'll make friends in no time."

"How are you holding up?" Amy asked, deflecting the topic.

Victoria absentmindedly rubbed her knuckles. "Better. I can't believe I broke two fingers punching that blue bitch in the face. To think she was just toying with me..."

"Or trying to avoid a fight," Amy retorted. "She stopped the bank robbery, Vicky. If it weren't for her, L33t probably would've vaporized me."

"Yeah, well she didn't have to beat me up like that," Victoria said gruffly. "Two broken fingers, a bruised solar plexus, and a two-hour ass-chewing from Mom. Yesterday wasn't fun _at all_."

Amy shrugged. "Just be careful next time, okay? I was really worried."

"No need to say anything more, Mom made sure to hammer that into my head," Victoria said in a huff. She saw the frown on Amy's face and flashed a smile worthy of TV. "Don't worry, sis! I'll be fine!"

They walked into the school together, then Victoria had to say goodbye and go to her homeroom. Amy walked to the auditorium alone, shying away from as much contact with the crowds of students as possible. She disliked the constant feedback she got when she touched someone.

She was filed into the auditorium of the school along with the rest of the freshman, where she had to listen to a boring "school is great, welcome to Arcadia!" speech. After that, she was given her school ID and led along by a balding teacher to her homeroom. Amy had to admit, Arcadia was a very clean school. Everything looked as though it was just bought, which they probably were.

Amy slid into a nearby desk and pulled out a notebook, wondering what type of schedule the school had for lunch, only to find herself going back to the events of yesterday. She felt a spike of fear surge through her when she recalled the sight of a massive weapon being pointed right at her, the cape behind it ready to pull the trigger...

She brushed the thought out of her head, trying her best to forget the events of yesterday. Briefly, she thought she should have taken her adoptive mother's advice and stay home. It wasn't everyday someone tried to incinerate you with a tinker weapon.

Her thoughts were interrupted when someone slid into the seat next to hers. Amy turned her head and saw a girl her age dressed in rather baggy clothes and a green sweatshirt. She had a slight slouch, and her long curly hair was rather unkempt. She turned to Amy, peering at her through thick glasses that clouded the blue eyes underneath. "First day?" she asked sheepishly.

"Yeah," Amy replied with equal sheepishness. Something about the girl seemed so... familiar. "I'm a little overwhelmed."

The girl shrugged. "I'm a bit uncomfortable, too. My friend couldn't make the transfer."

"That must stink," Amy said. "Maybe you'll make some friends here."

"Maybe," the girl replied. She extended a hand to Amy. "The name's Taylor. Taylor Hebert."

There was a few seconds of reluctance, then Amy shook Taylor's hand. "Amy Dallon," she said.

That was when it hit her. It was just like what she had felt yesterday in the bank, when she had taken the cape's hand. Of all the biologies Amy had encountered in her career as a healer, she had never felt something so powerful, so... alien. It was like an archaeologist finding a crashed UFO, that's how strange she felt when she shook her hand.

Thankfully, she was able to conceal her surprise from Taylor and pulled away, feeling out of breath. Her head spun with the titanic revelation she had just made about her new classmate.

Taylor Hebert was Supergirl.


	8. Justice 2-1

Every time I take to the air, no matter how many times I've done it, I always feel a sense of wonder in my heart. The freedom it offers, to let me go and do what others have dreamed about for thousands of years, is not lost on me. As soon as my feet leave the ground, a single thought enters my mind.

_I can fly._

It had been a week since I had gotten in a fight with Glory Girl at the bank and met Panacea. L33t was still nowhere to be seen, even with my eyesight, so he must have left the city. That didn't stop me from trying to find him. It also served for good flying practice. I practiced maneuvering around, trying to get a good grip on the mechanics of flying. There were a few close calls where I almost slammed into a building or two, but by the end of the week flying felt as natural to me as walking or breathing.

It made my nightly runs much easier, I'll tell you that. I hadn't managed to break the sound barrier yet, but pretty soon I was zipping about the city, stopping several crimes a night and helping people in need. The ABB and E88 were strangely quiet during that time, they must have been reacting to my debut and trying to plan around it.

School was also going well. My daily trips to the library were paying off pretty well, I found I could remember almost everything I read. Another aspect of being an alien, I guess.

Speaking of aliens, I had noticed that Panacea had an... interesting reaction when she took my hand. Everyone knew her as a healer, but was there something more to her powers? Could she have found out I was an alien just by touching me? She had made no sign of it in class, but I remembered a slight spike in her heart rate when she shook my hand the day she met me in my civilian guise. Had she recognized me?

These thoughts were on my mind as I gently landed on the sidewalk a block away from my house and changed back into my normal clothes. The nights were getting colder as autumn approached, but I didn't mind the walk.

Just as I turned onto my street, however, I suddenly became aware of several voices in my house. I extended the range of my senses and stared at my house. My heart leapt into my throat when I saw Armsmaster sitting in the living room with Dad. A short and rather stout woman was occupying an armchair, and I realized that she was Director Piggot of the PRT. I focused my hearing, eavesdropping in on whatever conversation they were having.

_"...there's no need for any undue alarm, Mr Hebert," _Piggot's voice rang. _"We understand that this might be a rather concerning topic of discussion."_

_"Damn right it is," _Dad replied icily. _"You still haven't told me what you're doing here."_

_"Let us be frank, Mr. Hebert," _Armsmaster cut in. I peered through his visor and saw a taciturn looking man in his late twenties or early thirties. _"You are aware that your daughter Taylor is a cape, correct?"_

_"Yes," _Dad replied rather unsteadily.

_"We have been keeping track of Taylor for some time now," _Armsmaster continued. _"There is no need to be concerned, we have no intention of arresting her."_

_"What has she done to pique your interest?" _Dad inquired.

_"Well, according to reports in correspondence with our members, the Wards, and the Brockton Bay Police Department, Taylor apprehended Hookwolf and several E88 thugs on the 29th, foiled a bank robbery on the 30th, stopped three muggings on the 2nd of September, and helped a young Alicia Bottnik rescue her kitten from a tree," _Piggot replied.

_"Pretty good work for a few days on the job," _Dad replied with a twinge of pride in his voice.

_"That is what brings us to the next topic of discussion," _Armsmaster said.

_"Which is...?" _Dad inquired.

I sprang towards my house, reaching the porch in a second and swinging the door open. "The Wards," I said.

* * *

**S**

* * *

There was a brief second in which surprise flashed across Piggot's face, then she quickly covered it under a cool facade. "Why hello, Taylor," she said.

"Why are you here?" I asked firmly, folding my arms over my chest. "I told Miss Militia I would consider joining the team."

"That was before you pounded Glory Girl into the pavement," Armsmaster retorted.

"Now hold on," Dad interjected, his face heating up with the old family temper, "I read that PRT report about the incident. Taylor wasn't at fault, that Dallon girl was."

"That's why we aren't trying to arrest her," Piggot replied. "It's a PR issue we're dealing with right here. Public perception of capes in Brockton Bay is a fragile thing, we don't want the people here to think heros are nothing more than superhuman toddlers roughhousing with each other. If Taylor joins the Wards, we can significantly reduce the fallout."

"I'm not going to let you strong-arm Taylor into the Wards just because some New Wave cape got too reckless," Dad retorted.

"The incident with the Dallon girl is only part of the reason we greatly desire her application to the Wards," Armsmaster interjected. "Taylor took down Hookwolf, a villain with an impressive body-count, and managed to non-lethally take down Glory Girl. She might be the strongest Alexandria package within 50 miles of the city, and we don't want to lose such a powerful cape."

"I've done fine without joining the Wards," I replied. "I heard that list Piggot recited, I don't see how that's a bad thing."

"Then you also know that the E88 is likely baying for your blood," Piggot snapped. "You didn't even go in a mask! Haven't you considered the ramifications of that? You might be safe, but your father here isn't. If you join the Wards, you'll have our protection."

"I'm siding with Taylor here," Dad said. "The E88 haven't been knocking on my doors or making themselves known in the Dockyards. Considering that it took you guys a week to find her, even with your fancy Tinker gear, I'm pretty sure a bunch of thugs won't be able to put two and two together."

"Why don't you want your daughter in the Wards?" Piggot inquired.

"I... disagree with the Protectorate's methodology," Dad lied.

Piggot made "hrmph" sound and rose from the chair, a slight wince on her lips. I gave her a one-over, noticing something strange.

"What's wrong with your kidneys?" I inquired.

Piggot gaped briefly, then clamped her jaw shut. "How did you-?"

"I can see through light stuff, like doors and people," I half-lied.

Piggot narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "The offer still stands, Taylor," she said in a low tone. "Just so you know, we'll be keeping the Supergirl designation until you join the Wards."

"Fine by me," I replied.

Piggot gathered her papers and marched out of the room. Armsmaster rose from his chair as well, slinging his halberd over his back. "I must admit, the blurring was clever. Facial recognition software doesn't do well with that, even when it's made by Tinkers. You should still consider adding to your disguise, though."

"Thanks," I replied.

"Before I go, I would like to know why you said your name was Zara," he said.

"It's a Spanish fashion store. I like their clothing," I fibbed. "Didn't want to reveal my name just yet, also didn't have an alias yet."

Armsmaster's eyes scanned the inside of his helmet, narrowing as they did so. He made a noncommittal grunt and exited the living room.

Dad waited a few seconds until they were gone before he turned to me. "Supergirl, huh?"

"Glory Girl called me that when she saw the sigil on my shirt," I replied. "So, you've decided against the Wards."

"I remembered you'd need to get a physical done," Dad replied. "If there's a snowball's chance in hell of them discovering the truth about you, I'm not taking it."

"They raise a point about the E88 wanting payback," I said. "Aren't you worried?"

Dad shook his head. "I stand by my point. I really don't think a bunch of dumb Nazis are gonna figure out your identity. Besides, I'll always have Supergirl to watch my back."

"You're not gonna let that go, are you?" I asked dejectedly.

"Never," Dad replied with a snicker.

I scowled. "It's such a stupid name."

"And 'Miss Militia' isn't?" Dad asked incredulously. "It's hard to have a cool cape name without sounding scary, honey. I don't think people are gonna cheer and say "Look, Genoscythe the Eyeraper's here to save us!"

I burst out into laughter. "Genoscythe the Eyeraper?"

"It was a joke on PHO," Dad replied. He got up from the couch and stretched. "You hungry? I got some lasagna in the fridge."

I shook my head. "Not hungry. I don't think I need to eat, actually."

"Huh," Dad said. "Well, good night then."

I gave Dad a peck on the cheek. "Good night."


	9. Justice 2-2

The bell rang, and school was out for the weekend. I casually shouldered my backpack and shuffled into the hallway, taking care to resume my slouch. Amy walked alongside me, clutching a large calculus textbook to her chest.

"Are we still doing the study session?" she asked me, tightening her grip on the textbook. "I'm really concerned about Monday's test."

"Of course," I replied, feeling slightly uneasy. As every day passed, I became more and more convinced that Amy knew _something _I didn't want her to know about me. She sat next to me in every class we had together, and she would always make sure to match my pace in the hallway. Now she wanted to do a study session with me in preparation for the calculus test on Monday. It made perfect sense, I had the highest grades in the class, but I still held my suspicions as to what her real motives were.

Was it possible that she just wanted to befriend me? Maybe, but I made a mental note to make sure she wouldn't be able to find my rocket.

A faint octarine glow flooded the hallway, and Victoria appeared at Amy's side. "Hey sis," she said cheerfully, "how was class?"

"Oh, it went well," Amy replied, her grip loosening slightly on the textbook. "I'm heading over to Taylor's house so she can help me study up on calculus."

There was a slight flutter in Amy's heartbeat when she saw Victoria, one that wasn't of surprise, but something else. It was almost as if... I shook the thought out of my head, that wouldn't make any sense.

"Isn't Taylor's house near ABB turf?" Victoria asked with a frown. "I'm surprised Mom would let you go around there."

"I've never gotten any trouble from them," I replied. _And any idiots that wanted to start some would get a rude surprise._

The frown stayed on Victoria's face. "No offense Taylor, but you don't really look like someone that could scare off a bunch of thugs. I'll be your chaperone, kay?"

The possibility of Panacea finding out my identity was bad enough, but Glory Girl, the person who unknowingly hated my guts? I started to feel really uncomfortable at the thought of that. "My dad doesn't like too many visitors, he's really shy around guests," I said.

Victoria grinned. "No problem. I'll walk you two over, then fly back home. Amy can call me for pick up when it's time."

I sighed inwardly. "That sounds good," I replied.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"So, Dean said that he and Dennis were going to go see that Aleph movie..." Victoria said to no one in particular, her head held high. Amy seemed to find the conversation interesting, or at the very least found Victoria interesting. Me? I was bored out of my skull.

I zoned out of the conversation, instead focusing on the world around me. I listened in on the heartbeats of birds, trying to see if I could identify the species just on how it sounded. I could hear muscles shifting against muscle, tendons being pulled taught, the rush of blood through the smallest of capillaries, studying the subtle differences between species and individuals. Victoria's heartbeat was strong and steady, the muscles made little noise as they contracted and relaxed. Amy's was not as healthy, if only by a little, her tendons creaked from the relative lack of pliability. I took the sounds in, making sure to memorize them. It could become important later.

Suddenly, I became aware of several more heartbeats coming from an alleyway towards the end of the block. That wasn't too surprising, there were plenty of people in their homes at this time of day, but what caught my attention was the fact that they were agitated. I extended my other senses, becoming aware of the smell of sweat and adrenaline in the air. I peered into the alley through the houses in the distance and saw several men wearing the colors of the ABB. They had guns, and were shouting in a variety of languages. One of them raised a large rifle and fired, finally drawing the others' attention.

"What was that?" Victoria said, her head snapping towards the sound of the gunshot.

"Probably the ABB," I replied, feigning a twinge of fear in my voice.

"Well, I guess it's time we show those red and green bozos not to mess with the New Wave," Victoria said with a grin. "It's a damn shame I didn't bring my costume with me."

"Are you nuts?" Amy hissed. "We need to get Mom, maybe Aunt Sarah as well."

"It's probably just a bunch of thugs, Victoria replied dismissively. "Nothing Glory Girl and Panacea can't handle, right?." She turned to me, shrugging off her backpack. "Taylor, call for help and stay hidden or something."

I nodded. Victoria took to the air, barreling across the street at a good fifty miles an hour. Amy gave me a concerned glance, then took off after her sister. Once they were a certain distance away, I cursed softly to myself and straightened my back. I ducked into a nearby alleyway, quickly shrugging off my sweatshirt and fastening my cape about my shoulders. Finally, I removed my glasses and took to the air with a flying bound, speeding over to the alleyway.

I saw now that there were several members of the E88 there as well, one of them wearing a white tiger mask. That must have been Stormtiger, then. I announced my arrival by touching down in the middle of the alleyway, the tarmac shattering underneath my feet. I turned to the E88 first and lunged, catching one of their thugs in the temple with a light tap. He crumpled to the ground like a house of cards, groaning weakly. The other members reacted in slow motion, slowly swiveling their guns towards me. I could've sworn that everyone was moving slower and slower every time I went out. I dashed forward, swatting guns out of hands and making light contact with skulls. In three seconds flat, the lower thugs were taken care of.

That left Stormtiger. He stared in shock at me, the air forming into claws around his hands as he stepped back, his heart beating higher than usual. "You smell different," he muttered with surprise, then lunged with his claws.

The wind smashed into me with tremendous force, but I stood my ground. I stepped forward, my cape fluttering behind me. Stormtiger stepped back, the wind growing fiercer as he swiped at me with his 'claws'. Before he could react, I lunged forward and flicked him in the throat. There was a weak choking sound, and Stormtiger collapsed to the ground, his hands on his throat.

I heard several pained grunts behind me and turned to see Victoria making quick work of the ABB thugs. Amy was in the alley as well, making sure the thugs on the ground would survive the poundings her sister gave them. She looked up and locked eyes with mine, her brown eyes widening. I upped the blur on my face just to be safe.

Victoria took notice of me as well, her hands gripping tightly around the ruff of a thug's neck as she spun her head about. "You," she growled, loosening her grip ever-so-slightly.

That proved to be a mistake. The thug grabbed a gun from a holster on his leg and brought his hand upwards. Victoria swatted the gun aside and punched the thug out, but not before it went off. Time seemed to come to a complete stop as the bullet inched its way out of the barrel in a flash of light and a puff of smoke, an empty casing sliding out of the side and making the long trip downwards. A knot formed in my stomach with sickening speed as I realized that the bullet was heading right for Amy's head.

I sprang into action, feeling strain in the first time in memory as I raced towards Amy, a hand outstretched as I pushed myself harder than ever before. Amy's head was turned towards the bullet, having heard the struggle before the gun went off. There was a look of horror on her face, frozen in time as the neurons on her face sluggishly worked out the realization that something was wrong. There was no way for her to actually realize that her death was incoming, that her life was going to come to a short end because of a stupid thing. You never hear the one that gets you, after all.

My resolve hardened. No, this wouldn't be what got her. Not if I had anything to do about it.

I stretched my arm out to the point that I felt as though my arm was going to pop out of my socket, my fingers splaying themselves before the bullet. Finally, my hand wrapped itself around the bullet, making sure that no hunks of molten metal would squeeze out between my fingers and hit Amy. I felt a slight impact work its way up my arm as I caught the bullet, working against the bullet's motion so it wouldn't shove my outstretched fist into Amy's face.

Time returned to normal speed. I stood in the alleyway, my clenched fist an inch from Amy's face. I pulled my hand back and opened it, studying the bullet in my hand. It was a partially molten mess, the sheer force produced by my timely save had heated it considerably. "Holy shit," I muttered to myself.

Amy backpedaled away, her wide eyes fixated on the ruined bullet in my hand. "Y-you saved me," she said shakily.

"I guess that's two you owe me," I said in my "cape" voice, putting extra effort to differentiate it from my normal one. With that, I took off.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Amy stood in the alley, her eyes fixated on the spot where 'Supergirl' had been standing not a second ago. She trembled slightly, the realization that she had almost died finally hitting her.

"Did... did she just catch a fucking bullet?" Victoria asked in surprise, taking a few tentative steps forward. "I've never seen _that_ happen."

Amy nodded. "She saved my life again," she said numbly

Victoria rubbed the back of her head, turning towards Amy. "I guess Supergirl isn't so bad after all, huh?" she said sheepishly. "Guess I should give her an apology next time I see her."

Next time. Amy turned her head to the street, where Taylor was, for all intents and purposes, still waiting. "Yeah, you should do that," she replied weakly.

"Are you okay, sis?" Victoria asked, concern lining her voice. "I think we should cancel your little study session, make sure you get home safely."

Amy shook her head. "I'm fine, Vicky," she said, getting to her feet. "You should stay here, make sure the authorities get them."

Victoria frowned, but said nothing to dispute the suggestion. "You sure?"

"I'll be fine," Amy replied. She briskly walked out of the alleyway, her gaze turned to the street they had walked down. Taylor was sprinting towards her, a backpack in each hand.

"I heard gunshots," Taylor said, panting for breath. "Is everything okay?"

Amy nodded. "Just a little scare," she lied.

Taylor smiled. "That's good to hear," she said, handing Amy her backpack. "I decided to grab these, I didn't want someone stealing them while we were away."

"Thanks," Amy replied with a smile, taking the backpack and slinging it over her shoulder. "You still want to do that study session?"

Taylor hesitated briefly before she answered. "Sure," she said.

Amy smiled again. Victoria's worry was misguided, she'd be just fine.

She had Supergirl as a study buddy.


	10. Justice 2-3

As it turned out, Dad had to handle something unexpected at work, which meant that I would be alone in the house with Amy. I tried not to show just how nervous I was as I sat down at the kitchen table, my calculus textbook splayed open. I regretted agreeing to the study session, but it was too late to turn back on it without seeming even more suspicious.

"So," I said, absentmindedly scratching at the cheap varnish on the table, "which sections are you having trouble with?"

"Well, I'm struggling with logarithms," Amy replied, flipping open her textbook to the section.

"Which aspects?" I inquired.

"All of them," Amy said. "I just can't make heads or tails of this stuff, math was never my strong point."

I gulped nervously. _Oh boy. _"Well, it's rather simple once you get the hang of it," I said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "It's kinda like a reversed exponent system, the log is the degree the base needs to be raised by in order to get to a certain number."

Amy nodded in understanding, or at least pretended to. "Could we do some practice examples or something?"

"Sure," I replied uneasily, grabbing a sheet of paper from my backpack. "Do you want me to write some dow-"

Amy interrupted my question by sitting down right next to me, her hand brushing ever-so-briefly against my own. I saw the neurons in her hand flash with activity I had never seen before in the infinitesimal time period our skin made contact, and I realized that she was getting _some _kind of feedback with her power.

She smiled at me. "I think I'll just watch you do some problems."

My heart began to pound in my chest. How detailed was the feedback she got from her power? Was it only good at detecting health issues, or was it able to completely map my biology? Did she know that I was an alien? Images of me being strapped to a dissection table while a bunch of PRT suits watched entered my head again, and I began to panic.

"You're ruining your table," Amy said, interrupting my thoughts.

I glanced over to where my finger was scratching into the varnish and had to repress a squeak of surprise. My finger had worn a not unnoticeable groove into the table, and a thin layer of sawdust now coated my chair and thighs. I pulled my hand away, forcing a weak chuckle. "This was a really cheap table. A good whack would probably turn it into a pile of splinters."

Amy said nothing, but I could see that her heart rate was a bit higher than usual now. Even if she couldn't use her power to learn my secret, the thing with the table would definitely garner suspicion. I took a deep breath and returned to working on the example problems. Thankfully, it appeared to divert her attention away from what had happened, and she studied the problems intensely.

An hour or so passed this way, with me basically trying to keep her distracted with the bookwork so she wouldn't figure out that I was actually an alien superhero who had beaten up her sister. Fortunately for me, there was only so far one could go with logarithms and soon enough, we were at the end of the section. Amy closed her textbook and put it back into her backpack, prompting a small sigh of relief from me. Soon she would be heading back home, and I wouldn't have to do study sessions ever again.

"I don't think I had the chance to thank you," Amy said, zipping her backpack shut.

"For the extra help?" I asked.

"For catching the bullet."

An icy hand took grip of my heart, and I felt a knot form in my gut as I gaped at Amy. _Oh God, she knows._

"H-how," I managed to force out, finding myself at a sudden loss of coherence. My tongue felt like a lead ingot in my mouth, and it was as though something was clamping around my throat.

"My power is a bit more than healing, Taylor," Amy replied sheepishly, a look of awe beginning to reveal itself. "I can read a person's physiology, it's what lets me know what's wrong with them." She sat down beside me again and smiled. "Let me tell you, your biology is like nothing I've ever seen before. It's just so... fascinating. Your DNA has _three _helixes! You make human biology seem as complex as a potato in comparison. What's more, you don't have the Corona Pollentia, the part of the brain that let's people control their powers."

"What are you going to do?" I asked, finally regaining the capability for complex speech.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone," Amy said. "You saved my life _twice_, I'd be a horrible person if I told everyone that you're Supergirl." She inched closer, her voice lowering. "Are you a Case 53 or something?"

I shook my head. "I don't have amnesia, if that's what you're asking. And I'm not letting you look for body tattoos."

"That doesn't make any sense," Amy said, shaking her head. "No Corona, triple-helix DNA, it's almost like you're a space alien or something."

I laughed nervously. "Yeah, right."

Amy stared at me in silence. It was then I decided to do something that, in retrospect, was pretty stupid to do. I reached into the pocket of my sweatshirt and pulled out my cape, unfurling it for her to see.

"Touch the 'S'," I told her.

There was a moment's hesitation on Amy's part, and then she reached out cautiously, brushing the sigil of the House of El with her fingers. Her eyes glazed over for a few seconds as the neuron-transmitted message activated, then focused once more. "Holy shit," she squeaked, her heart beating like a rabbit's. She looked into my eyes, a look of shock on her face. "You... you actually are..." she trailed off, as speechless as I was but a few moments before.

"Now you know," I said, furling up my cape again and stuffing it into my pocket. "You're not going to tell anyone, are you?"

"That you are actually the last surviving member of a hyper-advanced alien species sent here to protect us with godlike powers?" Amy asked incredulously. "I don't know if I can just keep that secret, Taylor."

"Please," I said, placing a hand on her shoulder, my thumb brushing against her skin. "You can't tell _anyone_. They would take me away from my dad."

For a few seconds, Amy said nothing. Then, she took a deep breath. "Okay."

I managed a smile. "Thanks," I said softly. "This means a lot to me."

Amy rose from her seat and slung her backpack over her shoulder. "I should get going, I'll text Vicky for a pick-up." She paused briefly before speaking again. "Thanks for the help with the calculus work."

"No problem," I replied with forced ease.

Amy left the house shortly thereafter, and I rubbed my temples. What the fuck was I thinking, revealing the whole truth to her like that?

* * *

**S**

* * *

The sun had already set, and a chill was creeping across the ground. Amy shivered, wishing she had brought a sweatshirt with her. Briefly she toyed with the possibility of waiting in Taylor's house, but she decided against it. It might be some time beforeacted normally around her again. It was understandable, considering that she now knew her classmate was actually an alien with incredible powers. There were some whackjobs who theorized that parahumans had actually gotten their powers from aliens, but never before had she ever been confronted with such concrete proof.

Her memory raced back to the first time she had felt Taylor's... Zara's biology, and a warmth began to rise in her chest.

As such, she didn't notice Victoria's landing until her sister gently prodded her shoulder. "Sis, you okay?"

Amy turned to Victoria, shaken out of her reverie. "Oh, the study session went great," she replied absentmindedly.

"That's good to hear," Victoria said, taking hold of her and gently floating into the air. "No trouble getting there?"

Amy allowed herself a small smile. "No trouble at all."


	11. Interlude III

"Stormtiger's been apprehended," Fenja said.

Kaiser rubbed his face wearily and sighed, wishing he had a drink with him. When his twin guards had come to him with bad news, he had expected something along the lines of that. "Where's Stormtiger now?" he asked.

"In PRT captivity," Menja replied. "His trial's scheduled for next Friday."

"Great," Kaiser muttered. He rose from his chair and paced about, his brow furrowed in deep thought. A few moments passed, then he turned back to Menja and Fenja. "Who apprehended him?"

"Glory Girl and Panacea were there," Fenja replied. "They busted in a scuffle between some of our men and a bunch of ABB goons."

"But they weren't the ones who actually took down Stormtiger," Menja added. "Supergirl arrived as well."

Supergirl. Kaiser gritted his teeth at the thought of her. That blue girl scout was quickly growing to be more than a thorn in his side. First Hookwolf, and now Stormtiger was behind bars because of her. She was a threat to his operations, someone who needed to be handled quickly.

"We need the PRT reports on her," he finally said. "I want a complete list of her capabilities as soon as possible. So far she seems just to be the usual Alexandria package, but I don't want to get a nasty surprise."

"What are we going to do about her?" Menja inquired.

"Don't worry, mein Frau," Kaiser replied, forcing a grin. "I have an plan."

* * *

**S**

* * *

"The E88's lost Stormtiger," Lee said, his mask casting a more frightening visage than usual in the low light.

Lung rose from his La-Z Boy and stretched, the dragons on his skin writhing as the muscles beneath them contracted and relaxed. "Supergirl," he said calmly, more of a statement than a question.

Lee nodded. "She came across a skirmish between Stormtiger and some of our forces. We have four men in PRT custody."

"Our loss is outweighed by what we have gained," Lung replied. "The E88 is weak now. They've lost over a dozen men in the course of two weeks, as well as Hookwolf and Stormtiger."

"There's still Purity, Krieg, Cricket, Menja, Fenja, and Kaiser himself," Lee retorted.

"And we have me," came Lung's reply.

"What are we going to do about them?" Lee inquired.

Lung casually strode towards a nearby window, his gaze focused on the city in the distance. "We strike them with all of our strength."

"Now?" Lee sputtered.

Lung turned away from the window, the moonlight gently reflecting off of his ornate metal mask. "We may never have another opportunity like this. They are reeling from the wounds inflicted by Supergirl, their confusion will make them more vulnerable to an attack. Even if we fail to crush them completely, they will become too fragile to pose any threat to us."

* * *

**S**

* * *

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** Topic: Stormtiger Apprehended By Supergirl  
In: Boards ► Brockton Bay ► Cape Doings ► Heroes**

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009

Looks like the E88 is having a bad week. According to the PRT, Supergirl managed to take down Stormtiger while Glory Girl and Panacea were handling a skirmish between the ABB and your unfriendly neighborhood Nazis.

**(Showing Page 1 of 13)**

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

Kudos to her. I never liked those guys, it's good to see someone bitchslap them to the curb.

**IluvMyrddin4EVA **(Veteran Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

Jesus Christ, just how tough is this new Alexandria package?!

**Lurker** (Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

I'd guess really tough. She's been active for like what, two weeks? And she's already beaten the crap out of Hookwolf, Glory Girl, and Stormtiger.

**MANteater **(Veteran Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

She also rescues kittens from trees!

**ADallon** (Verified Cape) (Cape Daughter) (New Wave)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

Let me tell you, she's _fast_. There was an accident during the fight, and someone's gun went off. Before I know it, she's right beside me, a slagged bullet in her hand. You can read about it in the PRT reports if you want.

**IluvMyrddin4EVA **(Veteran Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

Whoa whoa whoa! She caught a fucking bullet?! Can Alexandria even move that fast?

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

At travel speeds, yeah. As for combat speed and reflexes, I don't think so.

**MANteater **(Veteran Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

That's... I don't know what to say...

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

Moving on from that, let's discuss how the E88's gonna react to this. They've lost two of their more dangerous capes, as well as a buttload of goons. Something tells me they won't be taking this lying down...

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Posted on September 16th, 2009:

I'll grab the popcorn.


	12. Justice 2-4

I leaned back into my chair and sighed deeply, my gaze focused on the world outside while I waited for my tea. It was the day after Amy had revealed to me that she knew my secret, and thankfully for me it was now the weekend. I needed some time to myself so I could sort things out, try to see what might happen now that Amy knew I was an alien. Would she _really _keep my secret, and if so, for how long? Even if she didn't tell her friends and family, she might let it slip to the PRT that she had found something really strange about my biology...

My thoughts were interrupted when the waitress came over and delicately placed my tea on the table. I thanked her, then focused my attention on the tea. Wisps of steam rose from its surface, and it shone brilliantly in the infrared spectrum. It would seem weird to anyone watching if I just casually gulped down boiling hot tea, so I forced myself to keep up appearances and blow gently on it before I took a sip.

To my surprise, a thin layer of ice formed over the tea, then quickly melted away. I shifted my eyes to make sure that no one was watching, then took a deeper breath and repeated the process. Sure enough, a thicker layer of ice formed over the tea, then began to melt once more. The tea was much dimmer in the infrared now, so I decided to drink it before it got cold and nasty.

Had I discovered a new power? It was strongly possible; I didn't even know how to fly before last week. Jor-El had said that the Sun's radiation would give me my powers, was my continued exposure to it giving me new ones. If that was the case, I wonder what would happen if I tried to increase my exposure...

Suddenly, a cry for help reached my ears, rousing me from my speculations. I turned to the source of it, peering through buildings and people as I tuned my vision to the proper frequencies. It was a girl, likely in her late teens. She was in a warehouse of sorts, slowly walking backwards into a corner as a group of thuggish looking men advanced on her, making lewd gestures and saying things not fit for anyone's ears. The girl's heartbeat was like rabbit on cocaine, I honestly thought she was going to collapse at any second from the strain her heart was under.

I rose from my chair, fishing a crumpled five out of my pocket and leaving it on the table as I left the cafe. I walked hurriedly to the nearest alleyway, removing my glasses as I did so. I shrugged off my sweatshirt and pulled out my cape, then secured it over my shoulders. With my costume ready, I took to the sky and made a beeline for the warehouse.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I announced my entry into the scene by smashing through the roof of the warehouse like it was wet tissue paper, the concrete beneath my feet shattering as I landed between the thugs and the girl. I whirled towards the girl, her eyes locking with mine. "Run!" I shouted.

The girl did as told, her footsteps echoing through the now-silent warehouse as I turned back to the thugs, my jaws clenched with restrained anger. Their eyes were as wide as saucers, and they began to take a few steps back, raising their hands defensively. Something seemed off about it, however. The shock seemed too forced, and I realized that their heartbeats were much calmer than expected. It was almost as if they were...

A blast of light suddenly struck me in the back, sending me crashing into the ground with enough force to shatter the concrete on the ground. I rose groggily, trying to find my bearings, only for another blast of light smash into me. I was better prepared this time, however, and I managed to stay upright as me heels dug furrows in the ground. I spun about to face my attacker, my fists raised.

It was a woman. She appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties, and a brilliant white glow was radiating from every square inch of her body. Her eyes, her hair, her skin, everything was a bright white that would've blinded any normal human looking directly at it. She hovered above the ground, slowly drifting towards me. It was then I realized that she was Purity, the E88's flying artillery cape.

I became aware of more heartbeats now, these ones forming a rough circle about me. I looked about the warehouse, and my blood turned to ice.

They were all there. Cricket. Krieg. Menja. Fenja. Kaiser. The entirety of the E88's cape force was in the warehouse, their attention focused on me.

An ambush. I was caught in a fucking ambush.

I could retreat. If I was fast enough to catch a bullet, I was certainly fast enough to make a run for it, even Purity wasn't that fast. There was always a chance they might be able to trail me back to Dad, though, and I definitely didn't want them to continue their operations. I was a hero, and that meant protecting others. My fists clenched even tighter, and time once more seemed to come to a crawl.

I would fight, then.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Oni Lee casually flicked away the blood on his knife and slid it back into his sheath. The thug at his feet gurgled weakly as he choked to death on his own blood, then became still.

"That is all of them," he said in a disturbingly calm voice.

Lung said nothing as he walked by Lee, his gaze instead focused on the warehouse in the distance. "They must be there, we've found them nowhere else," he finally said.

"Do you wish to gather the men before we attack?" Lee inquired.

An E88 goon on the ground moaned weakly, smoke rising from the severe burns on his back and legs. Lung casually stepped on his head and crushed his skull under his partially-scaled foot, paying no attention to the gashes in his skin caused by the act. "I'll handle this myself," he said in a low tone. He began to advance towards the warehouse, his skin rippling as dark scales began to protrude from it.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Purity attacked first, a flash of light heralding another one of her blasts. I watched as her arms sluggishly rose to fire, then I sprung to the side. The blast missed me by a wide berth, instead slagging the distant warehouse wall. Menja and Fenja were charging at me as well, each of them already ten feet tall. Kaiser and Krieg stayed in the distance; they didn't need to be close for their powers to work.

One of the twins brought down her spear in a painfully slow arc, hoping to catch me in the head with it. I stepped back, letting the spear hit the ground in front of me, then took hold of it with both hands. I heaved lightly, using the spear as a lever to flip Menja (Fenja?) over my head. The giantess sailed over the group and smashed clean through the warehouse wall, rolling to a stop in the street with a weak moan.

Of course, this did not curry favor with the other twin. I turned back in time to receive a trashcan-sized boot to my stomach, a faint shockwave expanding from the point of impact. I rocketed through the air, coming to a stop when I smashed into the roof. I managed to right myself as I fell and flew right back at Fenja (Menja?), slamming right into her gut and knocking the air out of her massive lungs. She stumbled back, gasping for breath, and I caught her across the jaw with a mean right hook. The giantess fell with earth-shaking force, a gallon-sized drop of blood trickling down her chin.

Unfortunately for me, my attack had taken me too close to the roof of the warehouse. Before I could react, a massive spike emerged from the ceiling and struck me in the shoulder. I smashed into the ground, a cloud of dust billowing into the air as I rose to my feet. Purity rushed forward to meet me, closing the distance so I wouldn't have time to dodge her blasts. A beam of light thicker than a baseball bat smashed into my gut, knocking the air out of my lungs and smashing me into the warehouse wall. Another one of Kaiser's spikes emerged from where I hit the wall, striking me in the small of my back and sending me crashing into the ground face-first.

"This is the Übermädchen that's been such a thorn in your side, Kaiser?" I heard Purity say, a twinge of disbelief in her voice. "She's just some thirteen-year old girl playing hero."

"There's far more to her than meets the eye," Kaiser warned.

I decided to demonstrate just how true his statement was. I sprung from the ground before anyone could react and planted my fist into Purity's gut, straddling the fine line between lethal and extremely painful. Her face slowly contorted with agony as she stumbled back from me and fell onto her back, then she spilled the contents of her stomach onto the cold concrete floor.

Two down, four to go.

Krieg swore angrily as soon as Purity went down, only to be silenced when I suddenly appeared before him and swung my fist across his jaw. I knew about his powers, and I wasn't going to let him use them. He stood for a second or so, dumbfounded, then crumpled to the ground like a house of cards.

Half-way done.

The ground beneath me trembled, and I dodged to the side in time to avoid getting stomped into the ground by a furious Fenja (Menja?). I took to the air, catching her in the chin with a double-fisted uppercut and shattering her helmet in the process. She groaned in pain, shrinking as she did so, then collapsed to the floor.

Two left.

Cricket charged at me, a subsonic shriek clouding out all over sounds and making me feel sick to my stomach. That must have been the echolocation PHO was talking about, the one that she used to fight at night. I decided to get rid of the annoying sound with a light (by my standards, anyway) jab to her throat. Cricket dropped her kama and fell to her knees, making a pathetic choking sound. I wrenched the blades free of her kama and wrapped them around her wrists as makeshift handcuffs, then turned my attention back to Kaiser.

The leader of the E88, one of the most dangerous and powerful gangs in the entire city, was running away. Of course, I was more focused on the fact that there was a massive bloom of infrared light radiating from the wall he was running towards. Before I could adjust my vision, the wall _exploded _in a blast of dust and slagged steel. There was a cry of pain, and I realized that Kaiser had been pinned underneath a broken girder of steel. A cursory glance revealed that he had broken both of his legs in several places.

The source of the explosion revealed itself as it stepped through the smoke, the ground shaking with each colossal footstep it took. It was, for lack of better terms, a dragon over fifteen feet tall. Wreathes of flame rolled off its massive and scaly body as it stomped into the warehouse. The dragon flexed its claws and roared as the flames about its body burned ever brighter, casting a hellish scene to those who could witness it. It focused its gaze on the wounded form of Kaiser, then to me.

"Ooo'er'url," it growled in an inhuman tone, even more scales sprouting out of its dark flesh.

It was then that I realized that Lung, the leader of the ABB and widely considered the most dangerous cape in the city, was focused on me.

Fuck.


	13. Justice 2-5

Lung scanned the warehouse with eyes bigger than my head, his gaze briefly resting on each of the unconscious E88 capes. "Ooo ed is?" he asked, straightening himself as much as he could.

_You did this? _I translated. Lung's voice was hard to understand. I folded my arms across my chest and gently took to the air so I could be at eye level with him. "Yeah, so what?" I replied, trying to sound _far_ more confident than I actually was.

Unfortunately for me, Lung was able to see just how nervous I actually was and chuckled. It was a hideous sound that reminded me more of someone dragging a rock against concrete than anything else, and I felt a tingle of fear run up my spine. "Ooo ill ite me, ilil gurr?" he asked in a taunting manner.

_You will fight me, little girl?_

Most people would have ran at that, praying that Lung didn't feel like a chase that day. Only the very powerful or the very foolish would dare to try and pick a fight with him.

"I will," I replied in a low tone. It was time to really see if I belonged to the former or the latter.

Lung lurched forward, paying no attention to Kaiser's cries of pain as he "accidentally" stepped on the metal pinning the cape down. There was a sickening crunch too soft for human ears to detect, and with a pang of nausea I realized Kaiser's left leg had practically been severed.

"Ool," he growled, the amusement in his voice now evaporated. With that, he lunged.

When I imagined Lung in combat, I imagined him to be like some slow hulking monster, kinda like Behemoth. I didn't expect his massively clawed hand to lash out with such alarming speed. I just barely managed to dodge back in time to avoid being swatted to the ground, letting his arm complete its long arc before flying forward and decked him across the jaw. Lung's head snapped back, and a tooth the size of my forearm popped out of his bloodied mouth, imbedding itself into the floor beneath us. There was a brief pause, then Lung twisted his head to glare at me, thick blood trickling out of the corner of his jaw.

Uh oh.

Lung swung at me again, roaring as he did so. His clawed hand slammed into my torso, sending me smashing into the concrete floor like a human bullet. I rose groggily in time for a foot the size of a fridge to stomp down on me, burying me up to my waist in the ground. Lung began to put more weight behind his foot, trying to squash me into paste like a bug. In response, I raised my hands against the scaly skin of Lung's foot, then _heaved._

The pressure on me disappeared as Lung stumbled back, struggling to regain his balance. I sprang out of the concrete and smashed into his stomach like a cannonball, finally sending him to the ground with a resounding crash that shook the warehouse and sent debris flying everywhere. A glance beneath his seemingly-intact scales revealed broken bones and pulped organs that were already beginning to regenerate, and the nausea returned.

Lung roared, his flames intensifying as he rose to his feet with alarming speed. I could see even more scales appearing under his skin and bursting through to provide ample protection as he ramped up to better match my strength. In a matter of seconds he had grown to eighteen feet in height, and a pair of wings were slowly beginning to protrude from his back. He roared again, sending a gout of flame my way. I raised my arms reflexively in defense, even though the flames did nothing as they washed over me.

They did, however, distract me and allowed Lung to strike at me again. A hand the size of a small car wrapped itself around my torso and squeezed, trying to crush the life out of me. I struggled against his grip and began to pry his fingers open, ignoring the fire engulfing my body.

Lung changed tactics, shifting his grip so he only had my cape in his grasp. He began to spin me about like a small toy, only increasing in speed as he righted himself. My mind raced back to my fight with Glory Girl, and I decided to try and stop what was likely the next phase of his attack. I took hold of a clawed finger in both of my hands, then _twisted._

There was a horrifyingly wet sound of flesh being torn, and the finger was ripped free of his hand. Lung howled in agony and released his grip on my cape, allowing me to dart through the air in an uncontrolled tumble. I punched through the distant wall of the warehouse as if it was putty and finally came to a stop when I smashed into a thankfully unoccupied car, nearly cleaving it in half with the impact. I staggered to my feet and gasped for breath, rubbing my throat absentmindedly as I did so.

Lung emerged from the warehouse, the steel wall warping with heat as he tore it open with his claws. The finger I had ripped out had already regenerated, and he had ramped up to the point that he was now over twenty feet in height. He straightened himself, and a great pair of wings stretched themselves out as he glared at me with strangely human eyes.

"Il ooo!" he bellowed, charging at me on all fours. _Kill you!_

I now realized what the others felt when they talked about Lung. _This _was the Dragon of Kyushu, the monstrous cape who had managed to battle Leviathan to a standstill, the one who had managed to fight off the entirety of the local Protectorate team. I gulped nervously, and a knot began to form in my stomach. I was out of my league here, this was too much for me.

Then my mind raced back to the day I had saved Emma.

If I ran now, Lung would remain unopposed. His main rivals were lying unconscious in the warehouse at my hands, there would be nothing to stop him from spreading until he practically owned the city. The Protectorate wouldn't be able to stop him, that would be for sure. Lung would have free reign to order and commit horrible crimes, like the one that almost befell Emma and myself all those weeks ago in that alleyway.

Except me.

I screamed a challenge to Lung's roar and charged at him, a sonic boom sounding in my wake as I tackled him head on. A visible shockwave erupted from the point of contact, and all of the windows within a hundred feet of us shattered. Lung made a wet gurgle as the force of my attack practically liquefied his organs, gallons of blood spraying out of his maw in the process. I pushed onward, angling myself so that Lung would be dragged against the ground. A trail of blood and flesh followed us as the asphalt scraped away at him, only for his regeneration to seal up his wounds with increasing speed.

I took to the air, dragging a roaring Lung up with me. I briefly let go of him, then slammed my fist into his gut with all of my strength.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Did anyone feel that?" Assault asked warily. "That felt a lot like a explosion."

"I did," Battery replied as she finished handcuffing the mugger they had apprehended. "What do you think might have caused it?"

"There are several possibilities," Armsmaster said. "I've been investigating some of the Merchants' latest activities, I wouldn't be surprised if-"

His lengthy diatribe was interrupted when a massive shadow fell over them. The trio of Protectorate capes looked up in time to see a hulking shape fly overhead, flames trailing behind it as it flew in a parabolic arc towards the center of the bay. A second or so later, a furious roar reached their ears, prompting a wince from Battery.

"Uh... did anyone else just see that?" Assault inquired with a twinge of nervousness in his voice.

"You're not alone on that, honey," his wife replied. "What was that?"

"That," Armsmaster said slowly, the shock beginning to work its way into his system, "was Lung."

* * *

**S**

* * *

I followed after Lung, stopping right above the general vicinity of where he had fallen into the bay. The water was boiling and churning where he had sank, and glance below revealed that he was just now beginning to swim up.

It was astounding just how much punishment he could take. His lower torso was pretty much raw organ soup with a liberal sprinkling of shattered bone, yet he was still awake and healing. Not just healing, but ramping up as well. He was close to thirty feet in height now, and a second pair of wings, small and shriveled in comparison to his first pair, had emerged from his back.

My mind raced back to the research I had done on him while trawling through PHO discussion boards, trying to think of any weaknesses I could use against him. I remembered reading that his power was fueled by combat, whether it be by the adrenaline rush involved or some unknown factors at work. If I left him alone for a short while, would he decrease in power enough to be more manageable?

The idea didn't seem especially appealing. It was possible that he'd retain his monstrous form long enough to make landfall again and restart the destructive cycle, something that would put innocent lives at risk if he decided to come ashore in a more populated area. I needed a way to subdue him without furthering his transformation.

Suddenly, I remembered the incident earlier in the day when I had accidentally frozen my tea. Could I replicate that power on a scale large enough to actually subdue Lung?

There was only one way to find out. I began to breathe deeply, trying to get as much air into my lungs as possible. Small wavelets began to converge on my position as inhaled with all of my strength, until I felt as though my chest was about to burst.

Lung finally broke the surface of the bay, his maw wide open as he bellowed furiously. I floated before him, chest held proud, then exhaled with as much force as I could exert. A massive white cloud blasted from my mouth in a rough cone, striking him dead on. His flames were still pitifully weak from the impromptu bath I had given him, they weren't strong enough to counteract the frost covering his body. The water about him froze in an instant, practically caging him with spires of ice as they expanded and crushed his body. By the time I had finished exhaling, he was completely encased in ice, his face frozen in a look of fury directed at me. Despite it all, his heart still beat strong in his armored breast. A few seconds passed, and he remained trapped.

Satisfied that he was subdued for the moment, I turned my attention back to the warehouse, panting heavily. Smoke was rising from it, and a quick glance inside revealed that a fire was raging inside. If left unattended, the lives of the E88 capes inside would be at risk.

I sighed wearily, then sped over towards the warehouse.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Armsmaster gently applied the brakes to the motorcycle until it came to a complete stop, then dismounted. He began to advance on the warehouse, unslinging his halberd as he did so. According to eyewitness accounts, the source of the explosion (or whatever it was) was in this general area. It was also deep within E88 territory, yet he had not encountered any resistance as he did so.

He paused, then made sure his halberd was set to plasma.

The warehouse was clearly visible now, and Armsmaster began to understand why there had been a flurry of noise complaints. It was a miracle the building was still upright, massive sections of its walls were simply _gone. _A few small fires burned weakly around the building, and he realized that there were several bodies as well. He entered a light jog, soon arriving at one of the bodies on the ground. It was one of the E88's thugs, his throat neatly sliced open. Oni Lee's handiwork.

"I was wondering when you were gonna show up."

Armsmaster spun to the source of the voice, his halberd raised. He relaxed, if only a little, when he realized that it was the Hebert girl. She stood twenty feet or so away, several unconscious forms behind her. With no small shock he realized that one of them was Purity.

"Is that who I think it is?" he inquired as he stepped forward, his halberd still raised.

Supergirl eyed the halberd briefly, then gave him an exasperated look. "Please."

Reluctantly, he shouldered his halberd. "Is that Purity?" he asked.

"Yup," Supergirl replied casually. "I also bagged the rest of her little gang, too."

Armsmaster looked past her and realized that she was telling the truth. "You managed to take down the _entire _cape roster of the E88?" he asked incredulously.

The girl shrugged. "They set up an ambush, hoping they'd get me. It didn't really pan out well for them."

"That is a mild way of putting it," Armsmaster muttered. "That means you were the cause of the noise complaints, no?"

Supergirl chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head, eyes averted away from him. "That was probably during my fight with Lung. I don't really know my own strength."

The visor showed that she was telling the truth, prompting him to sigh with exhaustion and scratch his beard. The sheer incredulity of the situation was starting to be too much for him. "You _also_ took down Lung," he deadpanned.

"You guys didn't let him get away, did you?" Supergirl inquired with concern clear on her face.

Armsmaster shook his head. "We're currently retrieving him as we speak. There was a small delay as we acquired the ice picks."

"It was the only way I could keep him subdued," Supergirl replied.

"You didn't tell us you were a cryokinetic," Armsmaster said.

"I didn't know I was," came her response.

She was telling the truth again. "You are becoming quite a headache for us," he said wearily.

"Better me than a bunch of Neo-Nazis," Supergirl retorted. "Speaking of, you might want to get a medic over here ASAP. Kaiser's missing a left leg because of Lung."

Armsmaster brushed past her and knelt by Kaiser's unconscious form. A tourniquet had been neatly tied around the jagged stump of his leg, staunching the bleeding.

"I'm alerting the PRT as we speak," Dragon said over his helmet's communicator.

Armsmaster rose and turned back to Supergirl. "He'll make it in time for the paramedics to arrive."

"That's good to hear, I guess," she replied.

"Quite the girl scout, huh?" he said dryly. "Even the lives of scum like him matter to you."

"All lives matter," came her soft reply. With that, she began to gently rise into the air.

"Wait."

She stopped, hovering about ten feet or so in the air. "What is it?" she asked

"Why _did _you enter the hero business?" Armsmaster inquired after her.

For a few seconds, she said nothing.

"Because I could."

With that, she was gone.


	14. Interlude IV

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** Topic: Supergirl Dismantles E88 and ABB in Massive Brawl  
In: Boards ► Brockton Bay ► Cape Doings ► Heroes**

Lurker (Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

The PRT report on the massive brawl witnessed deep within E88 turf has finally been released. As it turned out, our city's newest cape was lured into a trap by the E88 and attacked by _all_ of their powered members. She, against all expectations, managed to beat them down and then took out Lung when he arrived during his big assault on E88 turf. You can read about it on their official website.

**(Showing Page 1 of 37)**

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

_Chews last dregs of popcorn with slow satisfaction, then swallows._

Someone better get me a telephone, because I fucking called it.

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

I guess you did. To be frank, I wasn't expecting something like this to happen.

**Armsy_&amp;_Halberd** (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Jesus H. Christ. I knew that Supergirl was tough, but _dayum. _In one fight she did more than the ENE Protectorate's done in years. They must be nursing their bruised egos at the moment :D

**Dacor_2004 **(New Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Well, that escalated quickly.

**kharneloever69**  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Seriously, that fight was insane. I lived a few blocks away from that warehouse, I could fucking feel the shockwave when she punched Lung into the bay. And according to the report she froze him in a block of ice while she was at it?

Supergirl too OP, pls nerf.

**Lurker** (Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

I wonder if she'll be continuing with the hero work, or if she was just some cape who had a beef with the E88 and ABB because they were encroaching on her own activities? God help us all if it's the latter...

**Armsy_&amp;_Halberd **(Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

I'm going with the former, personally. She seems pretty cool; she did stop the bank robbery some time back _and _went out of her way to rescue the civilians. Hell, she helped one of my neighbors get her pet kitten out of a tree.

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

She froze Lung in ice? So far, she seems to be a high ranking Alexandria package with some cryokinetic ability as well. I wonder what other tricks she has up her sleeve?

**Dacor_2004 **(New Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Maybe she has the same type of package that Eidolon has?

**kharneloever69**  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Armsy_&amp;_Halberd: Seriously? She actually helped a girl get her kitten out of a tree? It sounds almost too good to be true.

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

All we need is for her to beat up the Merchants and we'll be set, amirite?

**(End of Page) 1,2,3...37**

**(Showing Page 2 of 37)**

**Armsy_&amp;_Halberd **(Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

kharneloever69: Yes, seriously. Not all heroes are self-centered dicks, you know.

OneEyedPeopleEater: If by "beat up", you mean "punch into the stratosphere", then I wholeheartedly second that motion.

**Dacor_2004 **(New Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Now that Supergirl has established herself as a certified badass, we need to give her a better name than Supergirl. It's a stupid name.

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

One of the most powerful heroes in the Protectorate named herself after a species of toothed whale, and the greatest Tinker ever called himself _Hero_. Your argument is invalid.

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Besides, it's the Protectorate that gave her that name. She'd have to join or something if she wanted to change it.

**kharneloever69**  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

I'd imagine that they'd have to play kiss-ass if they wanted to get her to join the team. How old is she, BTW? Would she be part of the Wards or the main team?

**Dacor_2004 **(New Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Considering that she's called Super_girl_, I'd imagine she'd be in the Wards.

As for new names, how about Juggernaut?

**OneEyedPeopleEater **(New Member)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Nah, that seems too brutish. I think Supergirl will suffice for now. Maybe change it to Superwoman to make it seem more mature and respectable?

**kharneloever69  
**Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Considering that she's nice enough to help little girls get their kittens out of trees, I'd go with Samaritan. It's a fitting name, _and _she gets to keep that weird-squiggly S on her chest.

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know)  
Posted on October 1st, 2009:

Nah, Samaritan's the name of some Mover in Los Angeles. Whatever her name is, I'm glad she's here.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"I must say, I am surprised and delighted by this turn of events," Director Armstrong said. "Two of the largest gangs in Brockton Bay, gone in one day."

"I would hardly say _gone,_" Director Rebecca Costa-Brown replied curtly. "Both gangs still have a large number of non-powered members, and the ABB still has Oni Lee."

"Against the local Protectorate division? Not that much trouble," Armstrong said.

"It _wasn't _the ENE Protectorate that took down those capes," Costa-Brown retorted in a low tone. "It was the cape that Director Piggot has decided to name 'Supergirl'." Her mouth twisted slightly as she said the last word.

"Ah yes, young Taylor Hebert," Glenn said, his eyes glancing over the report. "I don't think I've heard of such a powerful Alexandria package, except perhaps for the originator of that particular moniker."

"That was a foolish thing Director Piggot permitted," Armstrong said. "Uncovering her identity like that puts other lives at risk, not just hers, and something tells me it didn't endear her to us."

"We can discuss what to do about Piggot's lapse in judgment at a later time," Costa-Brown interjected. "For now, the subject is the Hebert girl."

"If you ask me, she's a dangerous liability," Assistant Director Tagg said, leaning forward in his seat. "Someone with her level of power needs to be reined in as soon as possible, we can't just let an independent like her make an embarrassment of the local team."

"How would you go about that?" Armstrong asked dryly. "She's already rejected the Wards, and something tells me strong-arming her will be more trouble than it's worth."

"Strong-arming is out of the question, but I believe the Wards isn't, not yet anyway," Costa-Brown said. "Perhaps we could somehow make it more appealing for her, focus more on the benefits that membership entails."

"That could work," Armstrong said, absentmindedly scratching his chin. "She's already quite popular in the city, so having someone like her join the Wards could lead to a spike in memberships."

"It's settled then," Costa-Brown said, rising from her seat. "We'll attempt to recruit Taylor Hebert again, this time with someone _not_ from the local team. Perhaps we'll have better success if we get her a little star-struck, no?"

"What do you mean by that?" Glenn inquired.

"I happen to know that a certain cape's schedule is clear for next Tuesday," Costa-Brown replied with a slight smile on her lips. "Something tells me he wouldn't object."


	15. Truth 3-1

The weather was getting colder as winter neared, though I didn't notice any difference. I had to remind myself to wear heavier clothing as the leaves began to turn red and the grass began to lose its color; it would draw too much attention if they saw me in shorts while there was snow on the ground. There was one benefit of the colder weather, however: it made it easier to hide my costume under my clothes.

"I'm freezing," Emma groaned as she walked beside me, rubbing her arms in a futile effort to warm them up.

Not everyone saw the benefits.

"Cheer up," I told Emma as we neared my house. "At least you don't have to worry about the ABB anymore."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered under her breath. "That _was _pretty cool."

"And pretty destructive," I said. "I kinda feel bad for leaving all of those big ice chunks in the bay."

"Why didn't you tell me you had ice powers, anyway?" Emma inquired.

"I didn't know I had them," I replied with a shrug. "It was a happy little accident."

"That's a rather interesting way to describe something that took down Lung and froze a big portion of the bay," Emma retorted with a small laugh. She turned down her street and waved me goodbye. "See ya tomorrow, Taylor!"

I returned her wave and turned towards my house, then stopped in my tracks when I realized that a black car was parked in our driveway. Cautiously, I extended my hearing and became aware of three heartbeats in the living room. One was Dad's, that I could easily discern. It was slightly elevated, but otherwise he seemed calm; he wasn't in danger. I breathed a sigh of relief, then finally decided to peer into the living room to see who was in the house with him.

One of the visitors was a dark-skinned woman in a tailor-made suit. You didn't need x-ray vision to see that the body underneath was strong and athletic; there was just something about her that _oozed_ confidence. She looked young enough to be in her twenties, yet there was something about her that hinted that she was older than that. Nothing specific, just a vague feeling. Her long jet-black hair was neatly tied into a bun, and she sat opposite my dad on the couch.

The other visitor, however, was easily recognizable. He was in a blue and white bodysuit that did nothing to hide his toned body, and he wore a small mask that barely hid his handsome face. I gasped with the realization that _Legend_ was actually sitting in my living room.

Why was the leader of the Protectorate here? Did my fight with Lung and the E88 draw the attention of the big leagues? Or did the PRT somehow find out my secret and were waiting for me so they could take me away for experimentation, using Legend as an enforcer?

I dismissed the second notion almost immediately, there would be no way my Dad could be so calm if that was the situation. Of course, the only way to be sure was to find out myself. I took a nervous gulp, then walked up the porch steps and opened the door slowly.

Dad was the first to notice my entrance and gave me a small smile as I stepped inside. "Taylor, there's someone who would like to talk to you," he said cheerfully.

The woman rose from the couch and extended her hand. "Chief Director Rebecca Costa-Brown of the PRT," she said in a firm tone of voice.

There was a split-second's hesitation on my part, then I warily shook her hand. There was something _off_ about her; I felt as though I was shaking hands with a warm statue instead of a living and breathing person. Her gaze unsettled me as well; there was something... cold about it, as though she was regarding bacteria in a petri dish. It was then that I realized one of her eyes was actually a well-made prosthetic.

"Pleased to meet you," I replied half-sincerely.

"Likewise," Legend said, rising from the couch and shaking my hand as well. "I heard about your fight with Lung."

"You did?" I asked weakly. I groaned inwardly as the words escaped my lips; It was getting hard to think straight with one of the world's greatest heroes in my living room.

Legend flashed me a smile. "Of course I did. We've been trying to get Lung for a long time now, I'm glad someone was finally able to take him down."

"T-thanks," I replied, suddenly aware of a blush rising in my cheeks.

"Of course, we didn't just come here to compliment you on taking down Lung," Director Costa-Brown said. "Something tells me you're smart enough to figure out why we're here."

"You want me in the Wards," I said, the blush disappearing. "I've already refused membership."

"Admittedly, Piggot and Armsmaster aren't exactly the best at recruitments," Legend replied. "I can't blame you for balking at their offer, I probably would've done so myself if I were in your shows. I'm hoping that we can change your mind by showing you how the Wards will benefit your career as a hero."

"To be quite frank, Ms. Hebert, you are strongly desired by the Protectorate," Director Costa-Brown interjected. "Legend and I were there when Lung fought Leviathan. We saw just how strong he could be if he had sufficient time to ramp up. He fought off the entirety of the East North East Protectorate." She leaned forward ever so slightly, and I saw a the barest hints of a smile on her face. "And you beat him without a scratch. You defeated Lung when he was close to the height of his power, and that was after you just fought off the largest cape gang in the city. That takes a lot of strength, both mental and physical. Do you know how valuable you'd be in an Endbringer fight?"

"Well..." I trailed off, rubbing the back of my head. "I guess I brushed them off _too _quickly."

Legend smiled again. "That's good to hear, Taylor." He gestured towards the chair near Dad. "Would you take a seat, please?"

I sat down by Dad. "So, how would the Wards be helpful?" I inquired.

"Well, you do know that you get a college fund right?" Legend asked. "It's small, but it's there. Even if you don't really need it, it's good financial security for your education. You'll also only have to take half a normal school day, the other half is vocational and can be substituted for time at HQ and patrols."

"It means that your activities will not be limited to after-school hours," Director Costa-Brown added. "You'll be able to do more hero work without having to worry about your education; there's optional schooling at the HQ if you feel the need."

"What requirements are there for Protectorate membership?" Dad inquired. "Does she need certain grades, physicals, any of that stuff?"

One of the corners of Director Costa-Brown's mouth turned slightly. "The only requirements necessary for Wards membership are that you are a parahuman, that you are under 18, and that you have a relatively clean criminal record. If you are concerned about any allergens, we can consult with your pediatrician."

I had to admit, they made a good point. The official Protectorate website had already listed all of those benefits, but there was something different about them when you heard it from someone like them. Besides, it put to rest my biggest concern about joining the Wards. I furrowed my brow and rested my chin on my hand, considering the offer.

Legend seemed to notice that I was still on the fence. He rose from his seat on the couch and stretched slightly. "If you're still indecisive about it, how about we go on a patrol?"

A patrol with _Legend_, accompanying him as we fought crime together? Hell fucking yeah.

"O-of course," I replied.

"That doesn't-" Director Costa-Brown began, only for Legend to silence her with a half-raised hand. He turned to Dad, lowering his hand as he did so.

"Mr. Hebert, do I have your consent to take Taylor on a standard patrol around the city with me?" he asked in a respectful tone. "She'll be in good hands."

"Well, I don't see any reason why not," Dad replied with a small sigh. "Be sure to have her back by 11."

Legend flashed another smile; it never seemed to waver when he did it. "That's good to hear, Mr. Hebert." He turned back to me. "How much time do you need to prepare?"

"I'm wearing my costume underneath, actually," I replied. I shrugged off my sweatshirt and glasses, then fixed my cape around my shoulders. "What do you think?" I asked, making sure my shirt was nice and tidy.

Legend eyed it from top to bottom, rubbing his chin. "It's quite well done for a homemade costume, I must say. If you do agree to join the Wards, we could make one that seems more... capeish."

"Thanks," I replied giddily. _Legend just complimented my costume!_

"What does the 'S' stand for?" Director Costa-Brown inquired, her eyes fixated on my sigil.

"Uh, it's something I found in a mythology book," I lied. "It stands for Hope."

The corners of her mouth curled down slightly, but otherwise she said nothing. I rose from my chair, making sure to blur my face. "I'm ready to go," I told Legend.

A grin appeared on his face. "Splendid."

* * *

**S**

* * *

Director Costa-Brown stepped out of the house, watching the dwindling shapes of Legend and the Hebert girl for a few moments, then entered the backseat of the black car parked nearby. "Drive," she ordered in a low tone. "Back to the lot."

The Tinker-designed automatic driver did as commanded, the car smoothly traversing the roads better than any human could. Barring any traffic jams, it would take only 10 minutes to arrive at the lot. Of course, for someone like Rebecca, it was a painfully long trip. It was necessary, however, to avoid suspicion.

As the car sped along the roads of Brockton Bay, her mind raced back to the sigil on Taylor's chest. It had been unnecessary for her to ask the question; she could recall even the most trivial bits of information as easily as her own birthday, but it did let her know that the Hebert girl would change stories as to where she got the design. Was it indeed based on the sigil for "the House of El", or was it simply a fiction she had created? Either possibility held a host of complications.

The House of El. Rebecca ran that name several times through her mind, trying to see where it fit in with what she knew. El was a Northwest Semetic word that meant _god_ or _deity. _The gods of several religions in that area shared the moniker, including the Caananite supreme god and the God of the Tanakh. Despite that, however, she could not recall there being any known group that called itself the House of El.

She was confounded, and she didn't like it.

Finally, the car rolled to a halt in the lot, interrupting her thoughts on the matter. Rebecca stepped out and calmly straightened her suit, delicately smoothing out cloth with hands that could crush concrete like rice cakes. "Door," she stated clearly, taking a deep breath of the crisp air.

A rectangular portal formed in the air before her, revealing a long alabaster hallway. Rebecca stepped in, and the portal closed behind her.


	16. Truth 3-2

It was dark out when Legend and I took to the skies for the patrol. Well, dark by normal standards; it's somewhat hard to tell night and day apart when visible light takes up only a small part of your vision. The moon was a waxing gibbous, providing ample light for Legend to navigate by. His heartbeat was calm and even; flying had become second nature to him at this point. He was at the same level of ease rocketing through the air as he was taking a stroll down the street. I could only hope to look as cool as he did when I flew.

Eventually we came to a stop above a rather indistinct street. "According to ENE Protectorate protocols, this is one of the stations for patrol routes," Legend said, turning to me as he did so. "This seems as good a spot as any to start."

We descended to the ground, both of us hovering just above the street. "What's the standard time for a patrol route?" I asked.

"Well, considering you would be in the Wards if you joined, two hours," Legend replied. "Of course, that implies that there aren't any hitches. We don't give the more dangerous missions to the Wards, but there's always the possibility that trouble might find them." He began to move down the street at a leisurely speed, taking his time to observe his surroundings. "In a city like this, don't be too surprised if you have to handle non-powered criminals."

"Sounds like a Tuesday for me," I said, catching up to him and attempting to mime his stance as we flew. "I was already handling street-level thugs before I got in that fight with Lung."

Legend shrugged. "That's another reason to have you apply for membership, Supergirl. The Wards in this area are new to the job, a lot of them haven't even had to fight crime. Your experience would be highly valued there."

"Well, I guess that-" I began, only to fall silent when I heard an agitated heartbeat in an alleyway not too far from us. I focused my vision on its source and saw a teenaged boy no older than me being dragged across the ground by two unkempt men in clothing fit for hobos. One of them had a hand across his mouth, muffling any screams for help as he struggled violently to escape their grip.

"Supergirl?" Legend inquired.

"There's a kid in that alleyway who's being attacked by two men," I replied, pointing towards the hidden struggle. I gave Legend no time to say anything as I rushed down the street and turned into the alley. There was a gust of wind behind at my side, signalling that he had followed after me.

Our arrival had not gone unnoticed. The thugs looked up, their eyes locking with ours and widening with fear when they realized just _who_ was accosting them. Taking advantage of the distraction, the kid managed to wriggle his mouth free. "Help!" he screamed at Legend and I.

That spurned the men into action. At once they let go of the boy and turned away from us, sprinting down the alley. Legend calmly raised a hand and fired a laser that forked in two, striking both men in their backs. It was set to stun; I could see their nervous systems light up like Christmas trees as they fell to the ground limply. There was a sound almost like a stick of chalk breaking, and I realized that one of them had smashed his teeth against the asphalt.

I slowly drifted over to the boy and extended a hand. "Are you alright?" I asked softly.

The boy hesitatingly took my hand, and I helped him to his feet. "I-I'm fine, thank you," he replied shakily. He glanced over at the prone forms of his attackers. "I was just walking back home when they grabbed me."

Seeing that I had a handle on the boy, Legend gently brushed past us and and flipped one of the men over to study him. "Unkempt clothes, filthy face. His teeth are in bad shape and his breath smells worse than a dead raccoon. Druggie?"

I gave the boy a reassuring pat on the back and turned to Legend. "Yeah, his liver's a total wreck and his heartbeat is irregular. There's also a bunch of dirty needles in his right jeans pocket. He's probably in with the Merchants."

"The local cape drug-pushers," Legend muttered with disgust clear in his voice. "It seems that every big city has trash like them."

I nodded. "They pay guys like him to forcefully get kids hooked on their stuff. A few of my classmates ended up druggies that way."

"Well, at least there's going to be two less of them prowling the streets," Legend said. He touched a small device in his right ear. "The police's been alerted, they'll arrive here soon. This is another thing about joining the Wards, you have to actually stand by and wait for the authorities to take any criminals you've bagged. Independent heroes sometimes slip up, and the crooks manage to get out of their bonds before the cops arrive. Even if they are secured, it's a bit more paperwork for the guys in blue."

I nodded slowly. "It's not very easy for me to do that."

"Bit impatient, huh?" Legend inquired. "A lot of the Wards we've recruited are like that."

I shook my head. "It's not that. Sometimes I do try and wait with them, then I hear someone else who needs my help. Part of me wants to make sure the crook I just snagged actually stays snagged, and the other part wants to make sure no one gets hurt when I could stop it."

"Piggot did mention you had the ability to see through clothes and thin walls," Legend said. "I didn't know you also had a heightened sense of hearing."

I chuckled. "You have no idea."

A small frown formed on Legend's face, and I could tell by the flurry of activity in his frontal lobe that he was deep in thought. Was he wondering just how far of an extent my hearing actually went. As far as I knew, no cape had the senses I did. He was silent until the police arrived a few minutes later and hauled the two druggies into their cruiser. The boy was given a ride home at Legend's request, then he turned to me. "Night's still young. Do you want to finish the patrol?"

I nodded, and we took off again.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"How did the patrol go?" Danny asked.

"It went well, Mr. Hebert," Legend replied with another smile. "We handled some druggies and a mugging. Nothing too dangerous."

"That's good to hear," Danny replied, rubbing his shoulder absentmindedly. "I'm glad there wasn't any trouble for you or Taylor."

"I must compliment you on your parenting skills, Mr. Hebert," Legend said. "I really hope your daughter joins the Wards; it's people like her that makes the public tolerate the rest of the capes."

"I can't take all the credit on that," Danny said. "She takes a lot after her mother in most things; she just got the height from me."

"I take it that Mrs. Hebert is no longer around?" Legend inquired in a respectful manner.

"Annette died in an accident a while back," Danny replied, his eyes suddenly focused on the patch of dried grass between the two of them. "Texting while driving."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Legend said genuinely, clapping a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Is that when she...?"

There was a moment's hesitation on Danny's part before he finally responded. "Yeah, it was the night of the funeral. She was in her room, venting, and accidentally punched a hole in the wall."

Silence hung in the air for a few moments between the two of them. Legend took a deep breath and removed his hand from Danny's shoulder. "Have a good night, Mr. Hebert. The registration papers are on the table if you want her in the team; you can deposit them any time you want." With that, he took off.

Danny sighed and rocked on his heels for a few moments, then turned his gaze upwards to the stars. In a city like Brockton Bay there were few actually visible to light pollution, but there were enough to distinguish the more popular constellations. He watched them for some time, then returned inside and shut the door after him.

As he had done many times before, he wondered which one had given him Taylor.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Legend soared above the clouds, making a beeline back to New York City and Arthur. Just as he cleared the border of Massachusetts, however, he realized that Alexandria was flying alongside him. Sighing inwardly, he slowed to a halt. Alexandria moved to face him, her visor reflecting the city lights below them in a rather unsettling manner.

"How did it go?" she inquired in her usual tone.

"It went quite well," he replied. "Typical patrol, we stopped a few small crimes here and there. I got a good look at how she operates and handles things."

"So, it seems that Ms. Hebert is good Wards material," Alexandria said, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm glad we managed to at least warm her up to the idea of joining."

"Actually, I'm not so sure it'd be for the best if she joined," Legend blurted out, scratching the back of his head.

Alexandria gave him a look that included, Legend suspected, a raised eyebrow hidden under her helmet. "You're joking," she stated flatly. "You were just telling me-"

"I know what I said," he replied. "It's not that she'd make a great member of the team. It's that I think the Wards would actually be a hamper to her heroics."

"That's a statement that requires a good explanation," Alexandria said. "Do you have one?"

Legend sighed. "During our patrol, she was able to detect a crime being committed, find out where it was being done, and arrive at the scene in the time it took for me to do a double-take. As it turns out, she has superhuman hearing _and_ sight; she could identify a man was a drug user by his _heartbeat_. You read the reports on her, right? How many crimes did she actually handle when she appeared on the scene?"

"42 muggings, 26 assaults, 2 attempted rapes, and 1 bank robbery," Alexandria replied rapidly. "Four of those encounters involved taking down parahumans. It's an impressive record, but what does it have to do with her not joining the Wards?"

"Those crimes were all over the city, and yet she was still able to respond to them," Legend said. "If she joined the Wards, she'd be limited to shifts that took her through pre-planned routes. Routes calculated to reduce the risk of Wards being in serious danger. The amount of crimes she could actually respond to would be reduced by an absurd margin. And, considering she took down a cape that managed to go toe-to-toe with Leviathan, something tells me what we consider dangerous for the Wards would be a good punching bag for her."

"What, you just want us to let her stay an independent?" Alexandria inquired incredulously.

"Of course, we can't simply say no if she actually decides to join," Legend replied. "I'm just saying it might not be for the best if she did. She's doing fine on her own, and most of what she does falls in line with our own protocols anyway."

"And if an Endbringer shows up? There's going to be an attack in roughly eight weeks."

"Something tells me she's not the type to stand on the sidelines," Legend replied with his signature smile. "Now, if you excuse me I'm heading back home. Arthur's been waiting for me for too long."

With that, he sped away in a flash of light. Alexandria floated amongst the clouds for a few moments and sighed, then began the flight back to Los Angeles.


	17. Truth 3-3

My phone rang, distracting me from the Kryptonian microfilm I had been reading. I sighed softly to myself and set the scroll down so I could grab the phone from my drawer. Flipping it open, I realized it was a local number I had never seen before. I decided to answer the call and pressed the phone to my ear. "Hello?" I asked cautiously.

"Taylor?" a feminine voice said with equal caution. "Taylor, it's Amy."

"How did you get my number?" I demanded, sitting up in my bed now.

"I checked the phone book," came Amy's swift reply. "Do you realize just how uncommon a name Hebert is around here?"

"Fair enough," I said. I rose from the bed and began to pace softly around the room, rising a few inches above the floor after a few steps as to avoid waking up Dad. "Why did you call me?"

"Now that the ABB and E88's gone, the New Wave has decided to crack down on the smaller groups before they manage to get too much territory from the power vacuum. In layman's terms, we're upping our game." Amy sighed before continuing. "I think this is a job for you; I hate having to enter combat zones just because my family's feeling upstaged."

My vision focused into the lower frequencies of light; the realm of microwaves and radio waves that crisscrossed the sky in dazzling patterns hidden from the human eye, patterns I could never truly describe no matter how badly I wanted to. I traced the pattern coming from my phone to the nearest cell tower, which in turn led to a spot not too far from the docks. That must have been the call was coming from. Sure enough, I saw Amy standing apart from the rest of her family when I shifted to higher frequencies, her body heat sticking out from her surroundings like a warning light in fog.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," I told Amy with a growing firmness in my voice. I hastily threw on my jeans and shirt, then casually flung my glasses onto the bed. "What exactly are we looking at here?" I asked, fastening my cape around my shoulders.

"According to Vicky," Amy replied, a twinge of frustration in her voice, "it's probably the Merchants. Photon Mom, er, _Lady _Photon said she could've sworn she saw one of Squealer's vehicles around here."

I kept Amy one the phone as I hopped out of the window and darted through the air towards their position, a small sonic boom sounding in my wake as I trailed the pattern of radio waves leading to Amy's position. I still didn't know why I didn't make a horrific ruckus when I broke the sound barrier like that. Was it another strange side effect of my powers? It might be the same reason why only the loosest articles of clothes were damaged when I fought, as if I had the same sort of force field Glory Girl had.

Amy was only slightly surprised when I suddenly touched down at her side with the delicacy of a feather hitting sand, a mild gust of wind heralding my speedy arrival. "Squealer's the vehicle Tinker, right?" I asked nonchalantly, folding my phone and depositing it back in my pocket.

Amy nodded, her heart fluttering in a strange way as she did so. There was something familiar about it I couldn't quite put my finger on. "She can upgrade just about any vehicle into something dangerous. Carol told me how she somehow turned a station wagon into a tank."

"It was a sedan, actually," a voice to our left corrected. I turned to find myself facing Brandish, one of the leaders of the New Wave. She looked exactly like how she did in the news, dressed in her famous white suit with orange trim. She looked at me as though she was sucking on a particularly sour lemon. "So, this is Supergirl," she stated with more than a little contempt upon reaching my cape name.

"Come on, mom," Amy groaned. "Don't be so mean; I'd be dead twice over if it weren't for her."

Brandish spared Amy a glance, then looked back to me and sighed. "I suppose I am being a bit too harsh." She extended a hand in greeting. "Good work you did last week, taking down Lung and the E88."

Reluctantly, I shook her hand and put up a friendly smile. "Just trying to help."

"Well, I guess we should brief you on what we've been doing," Brandish said. "Glory Girl and the rest of the team are currently snooping around, trying to find out where exactly the Merchants are hiding." She gestured to the storehouses in the distance. "We've narrowed down their potential hideouts to somewhere over there."

I extended my senses, adjusting my vision so I could peer inside the storehouses. Most of them were devoid of habitation, their interiors either empty or filled to the brim with junk. One of them, however, had a crowd of people inside a dozen strong. They were dressed, for lack of more apt descriptions, like trash. Their clothes were ragged and worn; occasionally there were signs of half-hearted attempts to shoddily repair them, but for the most part they looked more at home in the gutters. Everything about them was filthy; I could smell the staggering amounts of grime, sweat, and other unspeakable forms of filth on them as easily from here. Some of them had that telltale look on their faces that just screamed "druggie". The nauseating chemical stench of cocaine and heroin confirmed it.

These were the Merchants, then.

"They're over there," I told Brandish, pointing to the third storehouse on our right.

A small frown appeared on her face. "How do you know?"

"Heightened smell," I replied. "That's the only one that reeks."

Brandish made a non-committal noise. "I'll go there and have some of the others check it out with me."

"I'll go with you," I said, taking to the air.

"Someone needs to keep an eye on Amy," Brandish rebuked. "You don't need to handle every last thug in the city, you know. We can handle this one." With that, she sped away.

I sighed and settled back down on the ground beside Amy. Taking note of my disappointment, she pulled back her hood, letting her hair flow in the gentle sea breeze. "She's totally jealous."

That elicited a small chuckle out of me. "Really?"

"Of course," Amy replied with a giggle. "She's worked hard in the cape community to make a name for herself and her team, and then some fourteen-year old called _Supergirl_ barges in, accidentally beats up her oldest daughter, and does more in one fight than what she has in years. I'm amazed there aren't more capes who are jealous of you."

I shrugged lightly. "I guess that's a good point."

There was a moment or so of silence, which Amy spent by looking me up and down with studious eyes. "Your stance is different," she commented.

"What?"

"From other Alexandria packages, I mean. Trust me, I live with one. She has such a confident stance; her back is held straight and she keeps her chin up as she practically swaggers everywhere." She paused briefly, thinking of what to say next. "You look... relaxed. Like you're chilling out with your friends at the arcade or something instead of being in a potential combat zone, like nothing can hurt you. Others think that as well, but they think 'then let's strut around and show how confident we are'. You? You think 'I never have to worry about another thing ever again'. You don't act like an Alexandria package at all."

"Oh," I replied quietly, rubbing the back of my head. "I guess I never thought of it like that."

Amy shrugged. "It's a weird thing to think about."

"I do worry about things, though," I said softly. "It's never about someone or something hurting me; it's always about me hurting_someone_. Whenever I'm walking in a crowd, I feel like a bull in a china shop, having to constantly control myself so I don't accidentally kill someone. Do you know what it's like to hug my dad and worry about breaking his back like a twig? Or accidentally snapping a friend's arm in half if they offer a high-five? It's an amazing gift, but at the same time it's a terrible burden. I'm as strong as Atlas, and now I have to bear the weight of the world on my shoulders."

There was a longer silence after that, one only punctuated by the sound of fighting in the distance. There was no need to step in, I could tell they had the situation under control. I sighed deeply, letting the salty breeze waft past my nostrils. "I'm sorry for venting like that."

"It's okay, really," Amy replied. "Surprisingly enough, I kinda feel the same way." She spared her hands a brief glance. "Only a little."

Any further conversation was interrupted when Amy's phone buzzed in her pocket. She flipped it open and sighed quietly to herself. "Carol and the others have finished mopping the floor with the Merchants; they want me to come over and do what I do best."

"I guess I should be going now," I said, slowly rising into the air. I stopped, however, when I felt a hand gently take hold of my cape.

"Taylor," Amy said softly, "would you ever want to... hang out some time? It'd be cool if we could have conversations when we're not in costume or fighting a bunch of thugs. You could tell me about Krypton or something; it's not everyday I have opportunities like that."

I hesitated briefly before answering. "I don't see why not. They're showing that Earth Aleph movie "Jurassic Park" at CinemaCity next Friday. Is that good?"

Amy smiled warmly. "That's good for me. See you around, Supergirl."

She let go of my cape, and I took off again. I had noticed that there was a fire brewing in a household half a mile away; it seemed like a situation that needed my touch at the moment. As I sped towards it, however, I couldn't help but notice that Amy had that strange, yet familiar, flutter in her heartbeat again...


	18. Interlude V

Armsmaster stood at one of the many windows in HQ, a slight frown on his face as he watched the blurred outline of the city before him. Occasionally he would fidget with his halberd, running a gloved thumb over the complicated controls on its handle, but for the most part he was as still as a statue.

"Are you alright, Colin?" Dragon finally inquired, breaking the long silence.

Life seemed to finally breathe itself back into Armsmaster as he stretched slightly, servos in his armor whirring softly with the motion. "You read just about all of the important documents, Dragon," he replied quietly. "You probably already know."

"The transfer to Boston," Dragon stated. "I also understand that Miss Militia and Velocity are also being transferred with you."

Armsmaster sighed. "It makes sense, I suppose. The ABB and E88 are all but gone, and the Merchants are going down that road as well. With such a reduction in crime, we seem to be overstaffed now."

"Meanwhile, Boston has a growing problem with that Accord fellow and his Ambassadors," Dragon finished. "They'll need someone like you there, Colin. Personally, I wouldn't be so upset about it."

"You're right, I shouldn't be upset about the transfer," Colin replied with another sigh. "I'll be able to get more done there; apparently their facilities are a tad more Tinker-friendly. It's just that..." he trailed off into silence, then began to walk back to his work station.

"I see," Dragon said finally. "Well, a skilled veteran like you will probably make the command there in no time, Colin. Besides, the transfer isn't until the end of the month; you have plenty of time to prepare."

"If I even live that long," Armsmaster retorted, opening up a nearby computer console. "There's going to be an Endbringer attack in a matter of weeks, no doubt about it." He began to type rapidly into the console, muttering equations and technical data to himself. "How's the work going with that prediction program of yours?"

"There are still a vast number of variables I need to take in, and the algorithms are very rough," came Dragon's reply. "However, I think I've be able to narrow it down to this area." A map of the globe appeared on Armsmaster's console, then shrank down to contain the Mediterranean area. Dozens of red dots appeared along the coastlines of Southern Europe and North Africa, some much larger than others. It only took a split second for him to realize that they were potential targets for Endbringer attacks based on the probability of one actually arriving.

"Strange," Armsmaster muttered to himself. "Why so many coastal areas? Leviathan was the last to attack when he swamped Manila; Endbringers don't attack twice in a row."

"You and I both know that Endbringers are always smarter than they look," Dragon replied. "It's possible they were planning to catch us off guard by attacking a coastal area again when we were expecting attacks elsewhere."

"There are a multitude of ripe targets there," Armsmaster conceded. "Given just how unstable the geopolitical climate is in the Middle East, I wouldn't be too surprised if the Simurgh decided to pay Israel a visit. Or if Behemoth decided to use his dynakinesis on the numerous fault lines in the continental area." He straightened himself and grabbed his halberd. "What are the percentages for each target?"

"34.8739% chance of an attack on Paris, 33.2087% chance of an attack on Jerusalem, 28.6753% chance of an attack on Rome. At least, those are the most likely ones. The program is still in dire need of improvement; it'll be close to a year or so before we can determine the next target within a fraction of a percent."

Armsmaster grunted to himself. "It'll have to do for now. I'll go alert Director Piggot of our findings. We need to inform the superhero teams in those areas as well; they might be able to prepare some defenses against a possible Endbringer attack."

"I'm currently transferring the data to your suit, Colin," Dragon replied. She fell quiet for a few moments before speaking again. "Colin, have you ever heard of Brainstorm?"

"I believe I have a vague recollection," Armsmaster muttered thoughtfully. "He was a Tinker in... Newfoundland, one of the many people who died fighting Leviathan that day. Why?"

"He had made the local news a month or so before by claiming he had found alien technology; he was promptly derided as a madman. I was skimming through some old records of his while compiling data about Leviathan's attack for the prediction program, and I found _this_."

Another image appeared on the computer console, and he stopped briefly to study it. It was an amateur photo, showing a man with a large grin of excitement on his face. What caught Armsmaster's attention, however, was the object stretched out between the man's hands.

It was a red cape, and a strangely stylized "S" was emblazoned on its fabric.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"A movie?" Vicky asked, stretching out on her bed. "You want me to drop you off at a movie?"

Amy nodded. "It's that Jurassic Park movie from Earth Aleph; I heard it was really good."

Vicky rose to a sitting position and narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. "Amy Dallon does not simply 'go watch a movie'," she said. Suddenly, she broke out into a wide grin. "You've got a date, don't you?" she accused playfully.

"No!" Amy replied, trying to hide the rising blush in her cheeks. "I'm just hanging out with a friend, that's all."

"You don't have to hide it from me," Vicky said, rising from her bed and placing a firm hand on Amy's shoulders and lightly strengthening her field. "You can trust me; I'm your big sister. What's his name? Do I know him?"

"I'm telling you, it's just a friend," Amy said hurriedly, averting her eyes from Vicky's dazzling gaze. "That's all."

Vicky pouted. "Fine, you don't have to tell me who it is, I didn't want to know anyways." She turned away from Amy and folded her arms in an exaggerated fashion.

"Are you still going to drop me off?" Amy inquired, trying to play up a 'doe-eyed' approach. "With all the stuff that's going on, I just wanna relax for a bit and hang out with someone who isn't family. Are you _really _going to deny me that?"

A few moments passed, then Vicky sighed. "All right, I'll drop you off at the movie. When is it?"

"At six," Amy replied. She wrapped her arms around Vicky and squeezed tightly. "Thanks, sis. This means a lot to me."

"No problem," Vicky said. "Now remember, if this guy gives you trouble you can always call and have me rip his spine out."

_I seriously doubt that,_ Amy thought to herself. She let go of Vicky, afraid of what would happen if she stayed in close physical contact with her for too long. "It's the CinemaCity a few blocks down. I have money for the ticket and snacks; it took a big bite out of my allowance."

"Alright then," Vicky replied. "It's about time we get going, huh?"

Amy nodded, a smile growing on her face.

* * *

**S**

* * *

The sun had already gone done, another sign that winter was fast approaching. The sky was an inky black that held no stars; it was one of the downsides to living in the heart of the city. Amy shivered, drawing her coat tighter around herself as she waited at the entrance of the cinema. Occasionally she would glance down at her phone in order to check the time, the period of time between checks growing shorter and shorter as the showtime of the movie neared.

Had Taylor forgotten about their da-er, hanging out together? She scanned the street around her, looking for any sign of the girl from another world, but found none.

_Why should have she come anyway?_ Amy thought to herself. _What was I thinking, asking her is she wanted to hang out? She barely knows me, this was a mis-_

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sound of sneakers rapidly pattering on the sidewalk behind her. Turning about, she saw a familiar girl in an over-sized sweatshirt and glasses.

"Sorry I'm late," Taylor said, feigning a pant. "Some poor kid lost his dog and I decided to find it for him." She stared at Amy for a few moments, then tilted her head quizzically. "Is everything all right?"

Amy allowed herself a grin. "I'm good; thanks for asking." She gestured to the theater behind them. "Still wanna see the movie? We'd probably get crummy seats at this point."

Taylor shrugged. "I wasn't too keen on watching it anyway; my vision ruins CGI for me."

"There's a nice pizza place around here," Amy offered. "You could tell me about Krypton while we eat."

"That sounds good," Taylor replied. "I think I saw it on the way here; the smell was mouthwatering."

Amy turned to the right and began to walk, gesturing for her to follow. "It's a block down this way."

Taylor followed after her, a smile on her face. "Fine by me."

They moved beside each other, their shoulders nearly touching. As they walked down the street together, Amy had to resist the urge to take Taylor's hand in her own.


	19. Truth 3-4

"So, how much do you actually know about your home?" Amy asked after finishing her bite of pizza. "I mean, your Space-Dad must've sent _something _with you to help preserve your culture and stuff."

"Actually, there was a massive roll of microfilm in the rocket," I replied, pausing to take a sip of soda. "It puts normal microfilm to shame though, you could fit a couple libraries worth of information in it. It contains stuff about Krypton's geography, its history, its wildlife, its cultures, and a bunch of other subjects."

"What was Krypton like, then?" Amy inquired. "Did they have what we have?"

"If you mean 'capes and Endbringers', then no," I replied. "They never had that stuff in their entire history, which is _way _longer than Earth's. They knew about ours, though; the roll explicitly mentions that."

"Was that a good thing for them, or a bad thing?"

I thought about it for a few seconds before I answered. "I think that, ultimately, it was a good thing. They weren't so different from Earth when they were as young as us; they still had wars and dictatorships and hunger and that sort of thing. But, as time passed and they got more mature, it just kinda faded away. For a good 200,000 years they just enjoyed idle lives free of disease or violence, focusing their attention on the arts and sciences. They had clean energy, genetic engineering, and technology that would make a Tinker feel embarrassed."

"Yet they still died out," Amy said. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around that."

I shrugged. "The roll said something about Krypton's gravity being so high that rockets couldn't get into space. By the time they had something better, they didn't really feel the need to go anymore. Sure, they explored their moons and their solar system, but I guess they just didn't look to the stars like we do. It bit them in the ass later when their sun went nova."

Amy pondered what I told her for a few moments, her hands casually playing with the half-eaten pizza slice on her plate. "Do you remember it?" she finally asked.

"What, Krypton?"

She nodded. "Do you remember anything about it? Anything at all?"

I sighed and leaned back into my chair. "No. I can't remember a thing about Krypton; I was just a baby when I came here. I like to try and picture it in my head sometimes, imagining what it would be like stand in fields of red grass and gaze upon cloud-piercing towers of sculpted crystal, but it's always a fleeting image."

Amy reached across the table and gave my hand a reassuring pat. "I can't imagine what it must be like to lose your people like that, Taylor. I'm sorry for your loss."

I sighed again. "I guess it's for the best that I can't remember it; simply knowing that I'm the last of my kind is bad enough as it is."

Amy straightened and rose from the table, taking our tray with her and emptying it in the trash. "We should get going; it's getting rather late."

"For you, anyway," I replied, rising from the chair as well. "I don't need to sleep."

"That reminds me," Amy said. "You look human, but sea cucumbers have more in common with us than you. How is it that you look like any other 14-year-old girl?"

I shrugged. "Good genes, I guess."

* * *

**S**

* * *

The moon was visible as Amy and I walked back to the pick-up spot Vicky designated via text, casting a soft glow on everything. The night was relatively quiet; most people were already in their beds, fast asleep.

Amy shivered and rubbed her hands together in a futile effort to keep warm. "It's f-freezing," she said through chattering teeth. "Can't y-you feel how cold it is?"

I shook my head slightly. "No, not really. The sweatshirt's just for show."

"L-lucky," Amy muttered to herself.

A frown formed on my lips as I glanced at her hands, peering through layers of bone and tissue composing them. I could see the thousands of capillaries in her hands expand in order to let more blood and heat through, and I could see the countless tremors and muscle spasms indicating that it wasn't enough. "Wow, you really are cold," I said with concern.

"N-no kidding," Amy replied.

"Let me help," I said, taking her hands into my own and massaging them. I kneaded them gently but firmly, taking care to avoid hurting her with my tremendous strength. Sure enough, I could see that her hands were getting warmer thanks to my administrations. I also became aware, however, of that strange flutter in her heartbeat again. There was something about it, something I couldn't quite put my finger on...

I let go of Amy's hands. "That should do for now."

"Thanks," Amy replied, stuffing them into her pockets. The flutter was still present, and I saw that her face was getting much warmer than usual.

"Is... is everything all right?" I asked softly.

"Yeah, of course," Amy hurriedly said, averting her gaze. The flutter, and that familiarity that grew with it, was growing stronger, becoming a nagging sensation in the back of my head.

Suddenly, it all clicked into place. I took a small step back and my mind swam as the realization hit me like a freight train. I now knew why that flutter was so familiar; my father had one in his own heart whenever he was with Mom. It was something I had heard in countless people's chests when they were with their lovers, whether it be simply from holding hands or pressing against each other in bed. It was something I never thought I'd invoke in someone else.

Love.

"Oh," I managed to weakly say. "T-that's good to hear, I guess."

That seemed to elicit something in Amy, hardening her resolve. "T-Taylor..." she began with a nervous gulp, only to be interrupted when a car pulled up to the sidewalk.

"Come on, Ames!" Victoria said from the driver's seat. "Mom wants you home ASAP!"

"...I gotta go," Amy blurted out, practically dashing to the car. I didn't know why, but a sinking feeling formed in my gut when she did that.

"You need a ride?" Victoria inquired.

I shook my head lightly. "I'm good, thanks for offering," I replied softly.

Victoria shrugged and took off, carting Amy away. I watched them go until they had disappeared over a hill, then watched them further still. I sighed softly, and finally turned away.

I still had trouble believing it. Amy Dallon had a crush, on _me _of all people! I mean, _why_? We weren't even members of the same species! Even taking that out of consideration, what could even see in me? I wasn't a blonde bombshell like Victoria was; you'd be hard pressed to find any real curves on me. I slouched, I wore glasses...

_And you saved her life on multiple occasions, _another part of my mind retorted. _You have said and done nothing but kind things to her from the day the two of you met. When she found out your secret, you trusted her not to tell anyone. You two get along well, and she is one of the only people you can completely open up to, and vice versa. She is your confidante, and you may be hers if she was willing to tell you what she _really _felt about you._

_But I've never really shown interest in girls! _the other half of my mind sputtered out.

_And have you ever shown interest in guys? _

I paused for a few moments, considering that. To be quite frank, I had never really considered romance an option for me, since keeping secrets like mine would not make for a healthy relationship. But Amy _knew _my secrets, and was the only one besides my dad who knew the whole truth about me. And despite learning that I was an alien, she still accepted me for who I was and _loved _me.

Another heart flutter appeared, and with wide eyes I realized it was my heart that was fluttering this time.


	20. Invictus 4-1

As I had done for the past few weeks, I didn't sleep that night. Instead I simply sat in bed, trying to read the microfilm Jor-El had sent with me. Despite my best efforts, however, I found myself unable to seriously dig into the legacy of an entire world resting on my lap. Something far more terrestrial was on my mind, namely the matters of someone named Amy Dallon.

Amy's infatuation should have been obvious. The temperature of her skin, the beating of her heart, the near-indiscernible dilation of her pupils whenever I was around her. The signs were all there, ready to be pieced together, but they were all things that I disregarded or simply paid no attention to.

I could see things everyone else could only dream about, and yet I could be so blind.

What was she thinking right now, lying in bed? A recognizable heart beating in the distance told me she was still awake; was she agonizing over what had happened just a few hours ago?

I toyed with the possibility of visiting her, to sort things out between us and establish what we _really _felt, but I realized that I would be seen by her family. Besides, something told me that she didn't want to see me at the moment. I rose out of bed and began to pace about the room, trying to think of something. Normally I would be going out in costume and cleaning up the streets, but that night seemed more quiet than usual. Coupled with the fact that the Wards and Protectorate was patrolling the city, I was left with virtually nothing to do.

I turned my gaze upwards, focusing on the waxing crescent of the Moon. As I did so, a funny thought struck me.

Did I need to breathe?

I recalled my fight with Lung in the warehouse. During our battle, I had spent much of it within arm's length of him and his fire, yet I hadn't noticed the lack of oxygen that would have resulted from me being wreathed in flame. Jor-El had said something about the sun's light providing me the powers I had; was it possible that it was my _only_ required source of energy?

Well, there was only one solid way to find out. Silently, I crept out of my window and floated into the air, making sure that no one was actually around to watch me. Then, I launched straight up, a somehow-muted sonic boom blasting around me as I rocketed into the dark skies above me. I soared ever higher and higher, soon breaking the cloud cover and dampening my hair with mist. I pushed my speed as hard as I felt I could, entering that state of heightened reflexes in which time seemed to flow like molasses.

The air was already getting thinner and I could feel a strange pressure growing in my ears and behind my fingernails as I left Brockton Bay beneath me. While I had kept my jaw shut tight, I became aware of something almost like the whistling of a tea kettle as tufts of air escaped past my nostrils and froze into thin snow. This was it, then, the time to open my mouth and find out the truth. If I began to gasp futilely for air while seeing dots, then I could simply fly back down and avoid high-flying.

With only a moment's hesitation, I unclenched my jaw.

A plume of white rushed out of my throat as my lungs emptied in less than a second; coating my face with a thin layer of frost. I half-expected myself to start seeing dots as my brain starved for precious oxygen, but instead I felt... nothing. Aside from a weird pressure at my nails and ears, and a empty feeling in my chest, I felt perfectly fine. Elation flooded me as I realized that I, Taylor Hebert, was in space.

I simply hovered there for a few moments, adjusting to the strange sensations of the void, before deciding to fly higher. I had no way to tell how fast I was going without any air resistance to gauge it by, so I decided to stop after a minute or so of rising. The stars were visible, a dazzling multitude of lights that shone in a vast array of colors and dominated the sky around me. I watched them for lord knows how long, wondering which one I came from. Of course, that was something I could do from the ground with my kind of eyesight, but there was something different about doing it when I was actually _in space_.

After I had my fill of stargazing, I decided to turn my attention down below. As I did so, an inaudible gasp escaped from my lips and faded into the void.

It was _beautiful_. There was simply no other way I could truly describe the sight of the world beneath me, slowly spinning about in its never-ending cycle around the sun. A vast multitude of colors presented themselves to me, swirling and scintillating into incomparable patterns that just clicked together. I could see heat waves billowing up from the swirling seas, radio beams bouncing off the ionosphere as they crisscrossed the globe, and the distinct patterns of life itself. If I focused my vision, I could see wildfires raging in the Rockies, or see a man enjoy a cup of coffee in Quebec before the thunderstorms in the distance finally arrived. It was as if I had opened my eyes for the first time and found the roof of the Sistine Chapel greeting me. A tuft of frozen mist escaped from the corner of my eye, the closest thing I could have to a tear.

I had never felt so _small_ in my life before.

The sun was making itself known as well, emerging out from behind the disc of the world and flooding the landscape below me with its light. A warm sensation crept across the half of me that faced it, and I had to repress a silent groan of pleasure as I took in the radiation without the diluting affect of the atmosphere. It felt _good_.

I stayed there, hovering in the sun's light, until the brief 45-minute day came to an end and flooded me back into relative darkness. Feeling a lot better than I had been just a few short hours ago, I decided to descend back to the ground before Dad woke up.

As I did so, I couldn't help but notice a growing warmth behind my eyes.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Something was wrong; that much I could tell as I returned to Earth. The countless radio waves that tangled themselves around the word had _changed _somehow; some of them were weakened or gone, while others had grown in strength. It wasn't just around Brockton Bay, or even the state, it was _everywhere. _A sinking feeling formed in my gut as I finally settled down on my lawn; I had seen something like this many times before.

Endbringer attack.

There was no time for subtlety now. I blasted upwards from my lawn, leaving my sweatshirt and glasses on the grass as I sped towards Protectorate HQ. If the public knew that an Endbringer was attacking, then it was for certain that the Protectorate knew which one it was and _where _it was heading.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Ames, get up," Victoria said, gently nudging her sister.

"Whooza?" Amy inquired groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she rose. "What's going on?"

"Endbringer attack," Victoria replied, turning Amy's blood to ice in her veins. "Mom got an alert about it ten minutes ago. It didn't say which one it is or where it's gonna hit, but you know they'll need you."

Wide awake now, Amy sprang out of bed and began to hurriedly put on her uniform. "Are we going over to fight?"

Victoria shrugged. "They didn't tell me. If it's Leviathan or Behemoth, then probably."

Amy gulped nervously, trying to ignore the growing swarm of butterflies in her stomach."Why are we going _now_? I thought only Uncle Neil and Aunt Sarah went to these fights."

"Maybe the lack of gangs to fight is making Mom and Dad edgy?" Vicky offered, trying to inject some humor into the situation. Seeing that it did nothing to alleviate the look of terror on her sister's face, she decided to up the power on her field by a slight amount. "Come on, we'll be fine."

As Amy followed her sister out of the room, a thought struck her.

_Taylor will be there._

* * *

**S**

* * *

Armsmaster watched as Miss Militia and Velocity helped a squad of PRT officers load equipment onto a special shuttle designed by Dragon, his face grim. He had fought the Endbringers on six separate occasions, but the feeling of dread he felt facing them never faded in the slightest.

"Dragon," he asked in a quiet tone, "what's the current ETA?"

"Assuming that we've accurately determined which one is actually attacking, it appears that the attack will occur in approximately two and a half hours," Dragon replied curtly. "I'll be over there as soon as I finish the latest upgrades."

"Pray that it'll be quick enough," he told her.

A gust of wind suddenly brushed against his face, drawing his attention to the right. To his surprise, the Hebert girl was standing a few feet away, her face pale. She was in her uniform, her symbol gleaming in the morning sun. He briefly considered asking her about the cape, but dismissed the thought. There was enough on his plate as it was.

"Which one is it?" she asked in an overly confident tone, trying and failing to mask just how nervous she actually was.

Armsmaster paused for a moment before finally answering. "We have reason to believe that it's the Simurgh," he replied. "She's been stirring slightly for the past three days; it's what she usually does before she actually descends to the ground. If our calculations are accurate, then she's most likely going to descend in Paris."

"You're going to need all the help you can get," she said. "I'll go."

"We can't simply bring everyone available to a Simurgh fight," Armsmaster retorted tersely. "She specializes in subtly manipulating people into time bombs; you'd have to undergo a psychological examination before we even consider letting you come with us." He sighed before continuing. "I understand that you want to help, but you have to understand that you could prove to be an incredibly dangerous liability should it turn out that you are susceptible to her machinations."

Taylor's face fell, understanding just what he meant by that. "I see."

"If you still want to contribute, we'll need warm bodies to help with recovery," he told her, tossing her an armband. "One of its functions is a communicator; it'll tell you when the Endbringer has retreated and you can come in."

Taylor nodded. Armsmaster turned away from her and headed for the shuttle, his halberd gripped tightly. Miss Militia and Velocity joined him; they were the only other Protectorate members who had passed the psychological exams. Together they boarded the shuttle, the door shutting forcefully behind them.

He found himself wondering if he was going to survive lucky number seven.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I watched the shuttle take off at speeds impossible for non-Tinker aircraft, then sighed to myself. As much as I hated to admit it, Armsmaster _was _right about me being a liability for a Simurgh attack. The thought of someone like me becoming a weapon in her employ was one I didn't want to entertain. Still, it didn't feel right to me, staying behind like that.

Casually twiddling around with the armband, I gave it a good once-over. It was amazingly well-made, and sturdy to boot; I could easily understand why Dragon was considered one of the world's premier Tinkers. I slide it over my wrist and activated it. Though Armsmaster had neglected to tell me how to use it, I managed to get a good handle on its functions after a minute or so of experimentation.

The display activated, showing two words: _State Name._

What should I go by? I considered going with "Zara", but I realized that it would be confusing for anyone in the Protectorate coordinating rescues. Groaning inwardly, I knew what I had to say.

"Supergirl," I reluctantly spoke into the armband. I confirmed the name and let my arm fall to my side with a light scowl. My gaze fell upon the horizon, and I decided to peer through the massive layers of ocean and rock hiding Paris from me.

As I did so, however, I saw _something_ that sent a chill down my spine.

"Fuck," I muttered.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Legend surveyed the crowd of capes, both hero and villain alike, with a slight frown on his face. It was much smaller than usual; the psychological screenings necessitated by the Simurgh's M.O. sifted out a large number of potential fighters. Too many, he felt. Though there were more capes coming in from overseas to reinforce the local teams, he knew that the average force fighting the Simurgh was a _fifth_ of the forces levied against her older brothers. According to Dragon, it was most likely that the Simurgh would target the sanitation facilities that kept twelve million people safe from cholera and dysentery, as well as the Nogent nuclear reactor 75 miles away.

He looked around at the city surrounding him. The clouds overhead were dark and stormy, and Legend could feel the occasional drop of rain on his cheek. Despite the gloomy weather, the city still managed to dazzle him with its beauty. The idea of the Simurgh rendering it a quarantined hellhole was not a pleasing one.

Legend cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the crowd and silencing any further conversation. Eidolon and Alexandria stood on either side of him, as still as statues. "As many of you are aware of, we have strong reason to believe that the Simurgh has decided to target this city."

Murmurs, but nothing more. Legend wetted his lips before continuing. "If our calculations are correct, then we may only have an hour to prepare for her attack. If any of you have fought her before, please st-"

He was interrupted by the buzzing of his armband, the frequency suggesting that it was the emergency channel. Legend frowned as he raised the armband so that he could see what the display said.

NOT SMURF

Legend's eyes narrowed. _What the-_

Someone descended onto the ground near him with alarming speed, kicking up dust as the flier came to a halt. Alexandria moved to intercept the cape, but Legend managed to raise a hand in time to halt her advance. Something told him he already knew who it was.

Supergirl emerged from the cloud, her red cape billowing in the wind. "It's not the Simurgh!" she exclaimed. "She's tricking us like usual!"

Before Legend could ask what she meant by that, he received an answer when the ground rumbled. Slowly, but steadily, it increased in intensity to the point where the buildings around them began to wobble slightly. Two hundred or so feet to his right, the nearby street suddenly exploded upward, sending massive chunks of debris flying into the air. The gathered capes were already in action, catching the larger pieces with forcefields or their own bodies, Supergirl among them.

A massive shape emerged from the crater in the ground, its hulking frame obscured in smoke and dust as it crawled to its feet. It was around 45 feet or so in height, though it would be taller if it could stand up straight. Massive obsidian horns formed a gnarled and macabre crown on its head, surrounding a singular eye that pierced the smoke with a flaming orange light.

A sinking feeling formed in Legend's stomach. _Oh no, _he thought to himself with growing dread.

Raising its head as high as it could, Behemoth roared.

**A/N: And so, Supergirl finds herself in the ring with the reigning heavyweight champion, BEHEMOTH! Will she survive? Tune in next time!**


	21. Invictus 4-2

A monster. That was the purest, most accurate way to describe Behemoth. It was as if someone had taken every last beast or creature from our legends and combined their most horrifying aspects to make the very embodiment of mankind's fears; a thing that defeated our greatest champions and laid waste to everything we held dear. I'll never forget the image of his single glowing eye as he emerged from the street, dull red magma sliding off of his bulky and craggy body. In the Bible, Behemoth was one of two monsters made by God to demonstrate that there were things that only He, and not Man, could defeat and triumph over.

As I laid eyes upon him for the very first time, I couldn't help but agree with that sentiment.

There was the briefest of silences as Behemoth fully emerged from the ground. The clouds chose at that moment to release their burden, showering the battlefield in a torrential downpour. It seemed that Nature still retained a sense of humor.

Then the chaos began.

Behemoth roared, a sound that was more like a bomb going off than anything natural. Windows for hundreds of feet around him shattered, lacerating and outright killing some of the weaker capes as jagged pieces flew at them like a storm of flechettes. I had to repress the urge to vomit as I heard the sounds of flesh slicing open and heartbeats coming to a stop. I realized then that I had never actually witnessed someone _die_ before; it was an experience I never wanted to have again.

_Lafayette down, CD-5. Napoleon Blowaparte deceased, CD-5. Porthos down, CD-5..._

Alexandria, Legend, and Eidolon sprang into action first, using their time-tested techniques against him. Legend attacked first, opening fire on Behemoth with a flurry of lasers that defied physics with their trajectories. At first they seemed to have an effect on Behemoth; the initial blasts managed to tear lightly into his flesh and draw a black ichor, but they lost effectiveness as Behemoth adjusted his dynakinesis. The nearby buildings began to shudder violently, and I realized that he was transferring the energy of Legend's attacks into the ground.

This opened him up for Alexandria, however. The black-clad cape sprang forward like a massive bullet, just managing to break the sound barrier as she slammed right into Behemoth's torso with raised fists. A visible shockwave briefly expanded from the point of impact, and Behemoth skidded backward ever-so-slightly. He was quick to recover, unfortunately, and opened fire with his unnatural lighting. Alexandria flew back until she was out of his kill-range and gasped for breath, her costume smoking as the rain dampened the flames. I cocked an eyebrow at that; it appeared that even someone like her still needed to breathe.

Legend continued to pelt Behemoth with his lasers, drawing more ichor and distracting the Herokiller in time for Eidolon to make his move. The most powerful member of the Triumvirate hovered just out of Behemoth's range, his hands stretched outwards. A trio of crystalline spears materialized before him, each one fifteen or so feet long. With a gesture of his hands he pointed them at Behemoth, then shot them forward at supersonic speeds. Behemoth turned away from Legend just in time for the spears to stab into its right arm, ichor gushing from each wound and diluting as it dripped into the watery street below.

Behemoth roared furiously, the crystals snapping off as he slammed his fists down on the ground with alarming speed, fragmenting pavement for a hundred feet around and throwing the grounded capes off balance. He lunged at Eidolon with alarming speed, lightning sparking from his horns as he did so. The lightning struck home, sending Eidolon smashing into a nearby building and practically collapsing an entire wall with the force of the impact. The cape emerged shakily, steaming but alive. He must have managed to grant himself durability in time to survive the attack, but it wasn't enough to keep him from being hurt.

It was then that I decided to step in, having shaken off the initial shock of what had happened. I flew at Behemoth at top speed, moving so fast that he had no time to react or prepare before I slammed my fist right into his face with as much strength as I could muster. My fist dove through his skin like it wasn't even there, then began to encounter resistance as it dove deeper into the Endbringer's flesh, eventually coming to a halt up to my elbow. Behemoth skidded backwards a good fifty feet, coming to an abrupt stop when he smashed into a building and was promptly buried in hundreds of tons of rubble.

I glanced down at my hand in surprise, watching the Endbringer's black ichor wash off in the rain. I had actually _wounded_ an Endbringer. Not just any Endbringer, but the Herokiller himself.

The reprieve was only temporary, of course. A dull glow began to emanate from the rubble, and I could see a massive swell of infrared light coming from Behemoth. There was a bright flash of light, and the ruins of the building exploded outwards in all directions like an over-sized grenade, damaging surrounding buildings and hitting the less fortunate capes. I sprang into action, catching as many pieces of rubble as I could, but it wasn't enough.

_Pepe le Pew down, CD-5. Madame Liberte deceased, CD-5. d'Artagnan deceased, CD-5..._

Behemoth strolled out in an almost casual fashion, his skin glowing white-hot with radiation. A hunk of flesh was missing in the spot where I had struck him, exposing what appeared to be bone underneath. His single glowing eye focused itself on me, and I couldn't help but let out a squeak of fear. The Herokiller lunged at me faster than any normal human could react to, closing the gap between us in a half-second and sending a bolt of lightning my way. I sped backwards, exiting his kill-radius just in time to avoid getting fried by his blast. Behemoth roared again, and I had to resist the urge to cover my ears as the sound assailed my eardrums.

The local capes began to step in, drawing his attention away from me. A man in a costume that reminded me of a cartoon bomb stopped at the edge of Behemoth's kill-zone, firing a warhead from a massive grenade launcher. The warhead struck Behemoth in the stomach and detonated, scorching the Endbringer's flesh in a tremendous gout of flame, but did little else to hurt him. The Herokiller responded by taking a step forward and frying the cape with his lightning in a detached manner, one that reminded me of someone squashing a mosquito.

_Le Bombe deceased, CD-5._

There had to be a weak spot I could use against him, some place where I could actually hurt the monster. I extended my senses, scanning him from horned head to obsidian toe. As I did so, I learned something unsettling.

There was _nothing_. Behemoth had no organs whatsoever. The orange eye was simply a hunk of glowing flesh; it didn't have optic nerves or any other features of real eyes. There was no heart to pump the ichor through his veins; it simply stagnated in sacs and rings that led to no vital areas. Though Behemoth had a mouth, the throat came to a stop right past the back of his teeth; it didn't lead to any digestive tract or airways. His flesh was almost like an onion as well, growing progressively thicker until it stopped at a perfectly smooth sphere the size of a bowling ball between his collarbone and spine. It glowed fiercely in a way that messed with my vision, and I had to look away from it before my eyes began to hurt.

That must have been the reason why Endbringers were so unstoppable. There were no vital organs to destroy, no real blood to drain from them. Only a core protected by flesh that grew tougher than tungsten once you got half-way through.

And I was going to fight it.

* * *

**S**

* * *

_"Reports coming in from Paris have confirmed that the Endbringer attacking the city is indeed Behemoth. The Protectorate is ordering an emergency mobilization of members from Chicago and Los Angeles, and there are rumors of tanks rolling across the Seine..."_

Vicky turned the radio off. "I've heard enough."

"Just because you don't want to hear it doesn't mean you shouldn't," Carol retorted, finishing up the last touches to her uniform. "It might contain vital information regarding the fight, information we can use to stay alive and contribute."

Sighing, Vicky turned the radio back on. Amy continued to look out of the window, watching the ocean beneath them zip by. Dragon had sent another shuttle to Brockton Bay as to gather more capes; they currently shared the cramped space with the rest of the Protectorate, Aegis, Vista, and a new Ward named Kid Win. According to Vicky, he was a Tinker who specialized in lasers and had joined only a week ago. Amy was glad that they were only ten minutes away, otherwise she would have soon gone mad, whether it be from the bodies crushing against her or Kid Win's incessant chatter.

_"At the moment, the fighting has been temporarily contained within the initial city blocks surrounding Behemoth's point of entry, though that may change soon..."_

As she prepared to join the fight against what was arguably the most powerful thing on the planet, Amy hoped that Taylor was all right.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Legend flew out of Behemoth's kill radius, narrowly dodging a bolt of lightning. He continued to pelt Behemoth with a flurry of lasers, opening him up for me to swoop in and deliver an uppercut to his craggy chin. The Herokiller's head snapped upwards, another slice of flesh removed by my blow, and wobbled ever so slightly. I knew he was faking now, which meant I had to press my attack before he stopped playing. Just as I lunged forward, however, a bolt of lightning arced out from his horns and struck me dead on.

An intense heat formed in my stomach, working its way up my throat and pooling in my mouth. I had to repress my first ever cry of pain as the heat became searing, before it finally subsided. Behemoth took advantage of the situation and slammed me into the ground with a clawed fist, striking me again before I had the chance to recover. Alexandria attempted to intervene with a shoulder dash to his head, but he simply redirected the energy in his fist, burying me even deeper in the ground. He pressed his palm onto my head, pushing me into the catacombs below as if the concrete and stone weren't even there.

A second hand joined in, casually ripping away the street above me and letting rain flood into the tunnel. As he continued to press me into the mud, I realized then that he intended to drown me, just like what Leviathan tried to do with Alexandria or Eidolon. Legend and another flying artillery cape began to pelt him with energy blasts, trying to draw his attention away from me. Unfortunately, it was in vain as he redirected the energy and used it to keep me pinned. Alexandria lunged towards Behemoth, only for the Endbringer to send her flying into a building with an almost lazy swing of his free hand.

I knew that he couldn't actually kill me that way, but it was for the best that he didn't know that; it reduced the amount of time he put into the other methods. Gripping his middle claw, I began to push against him with as much force as I could. To my surprise, and most likely his, the hand began to lift. I continued to push against him, soon getting back on my feet, only for him to suddenly change tactics and take hold of me. Behemoth pulled me out of the tunnel and began to _squeeze, _glaring at me with his blazing cyclopean eye.

I pressed my hands against his palm and began to slowly but surely pry his hand open, the outer layers of his flesh tearing where I pushed. In response he blasted me again with a bolt of lightning, then began to make his hand radioactive. I cried out in pain as the heat began to burn the skin of my palms.

Heat. I could feel it behind my eyes again, just like when I was returning to Earth, but it was a different type. It wasn't exactly pleasurable, but it was nothing like the pain in my hands. I urged it to grow, hoping it was something I could use.

Before Behemoth could react, twin beams of scarlet light blasted out of my eyes, striking him in the chest and tearing through the outer layers like they weren't even there. The Herokiller roared furiously and let go of me, allowing me to back up and continue the barrage until he began to redirect it into the ground. I willed the attack to stop, and it obeyed. The beams disappeared, and the heat faded from my eyes.

Well. That was new.

Behemoth paused for a second, contemplating the twin furrows I had burned across his chest, then roared again. Alexandria and the other Triumvirate members swooped in to attack again, but he simply ignored them as he stomped towards me, leveling any buildings unfortunate enough to be in his way. The local capes began to attack again, joined in by fresh Protectorate reinforcements. Chevalier hefted his cannonblade and fired three times, blasting away flesh and ichor with each shot. Just as he began to adapt to those attacks, Legend and the other flying artillery capes threw in their blasts and continued to draw ichor uselessly.

It wasn't enough. Behemoth slammed his fists into the ground again, even more force in his blows than last time. A four-story building nearby wobbled, then began to topple towards a trio of capes on the ground. I swooped into action, time slowing down as I rushed towards the capes. They had just began to see what was happening as I closed in; I could pinpoint the exact moment their hearts began to beat furiously with shock. I managed to take them in my outstretched arms with enough gentleness to avoid mashing them into red paste, pulling them out of harm's way.

I set them down twenty feet or so away from the building, feeling a gust of wind strike my back just as I did so. The capes, who were dressed in uniforms fit for the 18th century, gawked at me with wide eyes.

"Are you okay?" I panted. _Why am I panting?_

The middle one nodded his head shakily. "Thank you," he said in heavily accented English.

"No problem," I replied, then took to the air. There were plenty of trapped and wounded out there, I could tell. The attack had been so sudden there wasn't any time for the medics to really contribute. I glanced back at Behemoth, seeing how the battle was going. Thankfully, it appeared that they had him distracted for the time being. As the groans of pain assailed my ears, I realized that I was the only one really available to help them.

I rushed towards the nearest cries for help, ignoring the armband's casualties list as much as I could.

_Roland deceased, CD-5. Monsieur Égalité deceased, CD-5. Durandal deceased, CD-5... _


	22. Invictus 4-3

With a final shudder, the shuttle came to a rest on the grass. The storm was still going strong; Amy could hear the rain pattering violently against the roof. Glancing out of the window, she could see very little of the city through the downpour, save for the buildings silhouetted by flames.

"This is it," Carol said, rising from her seat and stretching the stiffness out of her limbs. "Neil, Sarah, Mark, and I will join up with the capes currently handling Behemoth. Amy, you're going to help with the wounded. Vicky, you're going to keep an eye on Amy and make sure that she doesn't get hurt. Understood?"

Vicky nodded, gulping nervously. "Yes, Mom."

"Good," Carol said.

The door to the shuttle opened, allowing a light sprinkle of water to get inside. Amy shivered as the damp wind brushed at her face; the winter rain was cold on her skin. The capes dashed down the ramp one by one, making a beeline for the last recorded location of Behemoth. Pulling her hood over her head, Amy stepped out into the rain. Vicky followed after her, the rain sliding over her forcefield.

The city seemed surprisingly intact; all the recognizable buildings were still upright and undamaged. Of course, that was something an Endbringer could easily change if it wanted. Amy held up her wristband and held down the two buttons. "Direct me to the nearest wounded. I have no Mover powers, nor am I physically strong. I possess healing abilities, however."

"Acknowledged," the wristband replied in a digitized female voice. The screen shifted, giving a computerized map of the surrounding city blocks. There were a dozen red dots scattered across it, and with a sinking feeling in her stomach Amy realized that those were simply the wounded _capes_.

"How bad is it?" Vicky asked.

"Bad," Amy replied softly. She straightened her back and pointed at a pile of rubble twenty feet or so away from them. "There's a cape under there, still alive."

Vicky dashed over to the pile in a second, removing hunks of rubble as if they were made of Styrofoam. Amy sighed as Vicky began to unearth the unfortunate cape trapped underneath; something told her that this was simply the beginning. Even if they could rescue and heal a person a minute, it would take days to help everyone, time they didn't have.

"How many minutes until Scion arrives?" Amy asked into her wristband.

"Scion currently preoccupied with earthquake in Japan," the wristband replied calmly. "ETA is two hours and seven minutes."

"Fuck," Amy groaned to herself.

"Amy?" a familiar voice asked.

A gust of wind suddenly brushed against her side, drawing her attention away from Vicky. Taylor was there, her feet hovering just above the ground. The lower legs of her pants were torn, and her face was grimy, but otherwise she was unscathed. Looking down, Amy noted that palms of her hands were a bright pink, as if she had accidentally touched scalding metal. _How did that happen?_ she asked herself.

"How's the fight with Behemoth going?" Amy asked.

Taylor sighed. "The Protectorate and the local capes are slowing him down, but not enough. At this rate he'll cross the Seine in ten minutes. I've been helping evacuate as many wounded as I can before Behemoth ups his game."

There were a trio of sounds not unlike thunder, prompting Amy to dart her head towards the source of the sound. "What was that?"

"Tanks," Taylor replied, not even bothering to turn her head. "The French military's stepping in to help out; they're helping slow his advance by working in tandem with Blasters."

"That's good, right?" Amy asked. "They can hurt him that way."

Taylor shook her head slowly. "I wanted to alert everyone, but my armband got fried in the fight. Behemoth doesn't have any real organs, he's just toying with us. The real him is simply a core protected by layers of flesh that get thicker the deeper you go. You'd need megaton-level weaponry just to even get close to it."

"My armband's still working," Amy said. "I can tell everyone that."

"Just tell Legend that. You'd just demoralize the others."

"Tell Legend what?" Vicky inquired, appearing between them with a man in a tattered knight's costume.

"Nothing," Taylor replied, disappearing in a blur.

Furrowing her brow, Vicky deposited the cape gently at Amy's feet. Amy set to work quickly, kneeling down and placing her hand on the man's exposed chest, using her power to examine his biology and find his wounds. The cape had a few broken ribs and some internal bleeding, nothing she couldn't handle as she began to heal his wounds.

"There's some civvies in there as well," Vicky said. "I'll go-"

"Got them," Taylor interrupted, seemingly appearing out of thin air as she carefully placed a pair of battered children, a boy and a girl, near Amy. The boy coughed weakly, spraying Taylor's shirt with a fine speckling of blood, but she didn't seem to care. "They need help bad; one of them has a punctured lung."

Amy swallowed nervously and set to healing the children, focusing on the boy first. "There's way too many of them out there," she said, holding back tears. "This is bad, I don't think I can help them all."

"I know you can," Taylor said confidently, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "You're much stronger than you think you are, Amy."

With that, she was gone again.

Amy looked back down at the pair of children, noting with lingering nausea that the surrounding puddles were beginning to turn red. Rolling her sleeves up, she continued her work, resetting fractured bone and sealing torn flesh.

As she did so, Taylor's words echoed through her head.

* * *

**S**

* * *

With a light heave, I lifted the massive hunk of concrete off the ground, allowing the civilians to pass by. Some of them were injured pretty badly, and all were filthy. The local equivalent of the PRT was assisting me, loading the wounded into ambulances and the rest into Tinker-made evacuation vehicles.

It wasn't enough. For every one person the other capes and I saved from Behemoth, he killed more, as if he was actively spiting us. Part of me wanted to rejoin the fight, help the others drive him off, but I knew that I'd never forgive myself if I let these people die when I could have done something about it.

"Merci," a woman said as she passed by, tears rolling down her face as she clutched her young child tightly. "Merci."

A knot formed in my stomach at those words. I had never truly comprehended the magnitude of the suffering Behemoth and his siblings inflicted; it was only when I saw the frightened looks on those people's faces and heard their hearts beat like jackhammers in their breasts that I truly understood what the Endbringers meant to everyone else.

_Quasimodo down, CD-5. Conquistador deceased, CD-5. Big Ben deceased, CD-5..._

I ground my teeth just at the thought of it. I didn't want anyone to die on my watch, yet I knew deep down that I was dooming countless lives by letting Behemoth live. Setting the concrete on the ground, I saw that the authorities seemed to have a handle on the situation in the area. I took to the air again, scanning the city for the Herokiller.

He wasn't that hard to find. Behemoth continued to stroll down towards the Seine, lightning sparking from his horns as he fried anyone unfortunate enough to enter his kill radius. Alexandria rammed into his stomach, deepening the wound I had made in his chest with my new attack and dousing the rain-soaked street in black ichor. Behemoth roared furiously and blasted her with his lightning, only for Legend to swoop in with a barrage of lasers before he could press his counterattack. Eidolon hovered overhead, summoning a sphere of energy between his arms that steadily grew larger.

I waited until Behemoth had begun to redirect Legend's blasts, then shot forward. The rain seemed to hang motionless in the air as I sped towards Behemoth, turning about in mid-air so that'd I hit him feet-first. I positioned my legs like a swimmer about to hit the water and tucked in my arms, minimizing however little friction there was between me and the air as to maximize the strength of my attack. With a crack like thunder I struck home, catching him in the throat with my feet and sending him flying through the air. Behemoth sailed for a good hundred feet or so, then suddenly came to a stop as he redirected the momentum towards the ground. He smashed into the street hard, toppling several nearby buildings and embedding himself waist deep in the tarmac.

"Good shot," Alexandria commented, flying to my side.

I glanced at her, instinctively peering through her helmet. My eyes widened when I saw just who exactly was underneath.

"Director Costa-Brown?"

Alexandria's head snapped towards me, her eyebrows raised under her helmet. "How did you-" she began in a growl, only to be silenced by Behemoth's roar.

The Herokiller rose from the ground, ichor gushing from the new wound in his throat. He glared at me, his singular eye blazing like a hot coal, and began to charge my way. His horns crackled again, and a massive gout of white-hot flame blasted out of his mouth, washing uselessly over Alexandria and I. Alexandria rose out of the cone of flames, gasping for breath, but I held my ground, an idea forming in my head.

I waited until Behemoth was almost upon me, then zipped between his legs before he had time to react. As the Endbringer turned to face me, I breathed in deeply, remembering my fight with Lung. A deep chill formed in my chest, and I exhaled with all of my strength. A cone of white hit Behemoth dead-on, flash-freezing the water on him and in the air as he was forced back. In a matter of seconds he was encased in a jagged hunk of ice taller than he was, temporarily unable to move. I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling more exhausted then I ever had.

It was a fleeting reprieve. The ice began to fracture, melt, and vaporize all at the same time, striking nearby buildings with frozen shrapnel. Behemoth marched towards me, his skin glowing white hot with radiation. I saw that the countless small wounds he had received during the fight had now widened considerably; it appeared that not even Behemoth was immune to the effects of thermal expansion. Of course, everything we had done to him was superficial, meant to make us think that we had a chance.

Eidolon reappeared on the scene, the energy sphere now as wide as he was tall. Legend zipped past him and continued to pelt Behemoth with lasers, aiming for the wound I had made in his chest. I wondered if Amy had told him what I knew about Endbringer physiology, or if he was simply trying to press a perceived advantage.

Behemoth paid no attention to Legend's attacks, instead redirecting the energy into footfalls that shook the foundations of buildings hundreds of feet away. Alexandria lunged again, striking the Herokiller across the jaw with a punch I could feel in my stomach, but he ignored that as well. Whatever game Behemoth played with us had ended now; he moved with _purpose_ as he stalked towards me with a look of contempt in his eye. Just as he got within a hundred or so feet he stopped dead in his tracks, as if he had seen something.

To Eidolon, this posed a good opportunity. "Get back!" he shouted, the sphere now glowing a fierce blue between his outstretched hands. He flew at Behemoth, cape billowing in the wind, then hefted it at the Endbringer with enough speed to break the sound barrier. The attack soared over the low buildings of Paris, slagging the outer layers of concrete and stone with its intense heat.

I could tell something was wrong as soon as the attack began to wash over Behemoth, encompassing him without doing the slightest bit of harm. He had somehow anticipated that Eidolon was going to hit him with an energy attack, and had focused his dynakinetic abilities into redirecting it at his target: me. I should have known something like that was going to happen; I had made the classic mistake of assuming that he was as dumb as he looked.

Behemoth lunged, but something was different this time. He was much faster, and I had no time to dodge before he slammed a white-hot fist into my stomach, amplifying the redirected energy of Eidolon's attack with his own monstrous strength. A massive shockwave expanded out from the point of impact, shattering the street beneath us and collapsing the already-weakened buildings. For the briefest of seconds, everything went black as I rocketed through the air at lord-knows-how-many miles per hour. I became aware of another impact as I hit the ground again, and my vision returned.

A boy no older than nine stood over me, dressed in dirty work clothes. He was darkly-tanned, and a gardening hoe was clutched tightly in his rough hands.

"Estás bem, senhora?" the boy inquired, extending a hand to help me up.

At first, I thought he was speaking Spanish, but I realized that he was speaking it differently. It was a different pronunciation, as though he was doing an impression of a man with a Russian accent or had a mouth full of peanut butter.. I briefly thought that I might have gotten hearing damage from Behemoth's attack, but then it clicked together. The boy was speaking Continental Portuguese; I remembered reading about the basics in the library.

Portugal. Behemoth had punched me into fucking _Portugal._

I took the boy's hand and rose to my feet. I didn't need his help, but it was the thought that counted. "Estou bem," I replied in heavily accented Portuguese. Turning about, I realized that I had landed on a plot of farmland and crushed the plants underneath into paste. "Desculpa," I replied bashfully.

The boy shrugged. "Não problema. Queres usar o meu telefono?" He fished into his pocket for an old-looking cellphone, then offered it to me.

I shook my head and smiled. "Não, obrigado," I replied, taking to the air and leaving him behind.

"Adeus!" the boy called after me, offering a friendly wave.

"Adeus!" I shouted back, speeding away from the crater I had accidentally made in his farm work. I slowed as I broke the cloud cover, letting the sunlight warm my skin. It felt good, and I groaned pleasurably as the slight aches and pains I had gotten in my fight with Behemoth began to fade away.

That stopped when I became faintly aware of a sound I had taught myself to remember: Amy's heartbeat.

It was pounding with terror.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Dragon stood in Behemoth's path, rearing on her hind legs as a flurry of rockets raced out of their pods. Explosions blossomed across the Herokiller's body, tearing ever deeper into the outer layers of its flesh and spattering the streets with ichor, but otherwise did nothing to halt his advance by even an iota. Behemoth casually scooped a handful of cobblestone out of the street and began to heat it into slag as he stomped towards the evacuation site, the rain washing clean his wounds. He flung it Dragon's way, clipping the Tinker's suit in the shoulder and sending it flying into a nearby wall. Miss Militia stepped in next, sniping at his eye with a massive anti-tank rifle, but the crumpled bullets fell uselessly to the ground as he redirected the energy into the ground as light tremors.

Amy looked up from the half-dead cape she was working on, squeaking in fear as Behemoth closed in on the evacuation site. The Herokiller slowed ever so slightly as he closed in on them, moving as if though he had decided to take his sweet time. The Arc de Triumphe lay in ruins behind him, its eternal flame snuffed out. It seemed, Amy noted, that they were next.

"ETA for Scion," she heard Carol say into her wristband.

"Forty-five minutes," the wristband replied calmly, not detecting the urgency and fear in Carol's voice.

Legend set down nearby, carefully settling a wounded Chevalier on his feet. "I'm afraid that we've lost here," he said, his voice grim. "Alexandria, Eidolon, and I will try to hold him off as long as we can, the main objective now is evacuation."

"I can still fight," Chevalier said with a groan. "We can't just let him smash _Paris!"_

"You'll be more useful helping with the evacuation," Legend replied. "I know how much this pains us all, but we can't throw lives at Behemoth out of a matter of pride."

Chevalier sighed, hefting his cannonblade over his shoulder and marching towards the shuttles. Legend turned to Amy, a dour look on his face. "We need you as far away from the combat as possible; we can't afford to lose a healer like you. We can't spare any Movers at the moment, so you'll have to move on foot." With that, he sped off.

Amy nodded, flinching when an explosion sounded nearby. Alexandria soared overhead, most of her costume burnt off. Legend and Eidolon swooped in, trying to draw Behemoth's attention away with a barrage of energy blasts.

"Come on," Vicky urged, grabbing Amy by her sleeve. "We gotta move."

Amy rose to her feet, seeing that the cape she was healing would survive. Just as she started to turn to Vicky, however, a weak cry reached her ears. A child's cry. Spinning about, she saw that a kid no older than five was pinned under a toppled lamppost thirty feet away, blood pooling around her. Amy didn't need her powers to see that her legs were broken; she saw that they were twisted at angles they were never meant to be at.

She could've let Vicky carry away from the battle and the wounded girl, hoping that someone else would find her, but Taylor's words floated through her head again.

_You're much stronger than you think you are_

"Fuck it," she muttered, sliding out of Vicky's grip and dashing towards the girl. She heard Vicky shout something after her, but she ignored it as she skidded to a halt by the lamppost and began to brush away rubble from the injured child. Grabbing the girl gently, she pulled her out from under the lamppost and began healing her legs. The girl's whimpers of pain ceased as her flesh knitted itself back together, and she looked at Amy with wide eyes.

"Run!" Amy urged.

Thankfully, it appeared that she understood. The girl ran, dashing towards the evacuation site as fast as her tiny feet could carry her. Amy rose to follow, then became aware of a warm heat brushing caressing her soaked back. Slowly she turned, fearing what she would find behind her.

Behemoth stood forty feet away, his fiery orange eye glaring at her through the rain. Legend and the others were gone; Amy couldn't tell if they had been driven off or killed by the Endbringer. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized that it would simply take a lumbering step on Behemoth's behalf to kill her. There was no doubt that he would do so; Behemoth had earned his moniker as the Herokiller. Amy closed her eyes, waiting for the end.

It didn't come. A gust of wind slammed into her side, nearly bowling her over as something slammed into Behemoth's stomach, moving too fast for the eye to see. Thunder seemed to roll across the street as the Herokiller went sliding back for hundreds of feet, his face scraping against the street as an unknown force shoved him back. A high-pitch whistling sound assailed Amy's ears, and with widened eyes she realized that it was a scream of rage.

Behemoth rose, swatting ineffectually at his assailant, only to have one of his arms sliced to the bone by twin beams of scarlet light. The Herokiller roared furiously and stumbled back, ichor gushing onto the street. He lunged again, striking nothing but air as he landed on a building and flattened it. Behemoth stopped for a moment or so, surveying the landscape around him, before he begun to dig into the street.

There was a spurious sensation of motion in Amy's gut, and she suddenly found herself back at the evacuation site, Taylor standing before her. Aside from a bloodied lip, she seemed unscathed from Behemoth's attack, but it was still a shocking sight to see her bleed. "Are you okay?" she asked, panting lightly.

Amy nodded numbly. "I-I'm fine."

Taylor turned back to the silhouette of Behemoth, her face tightening. "I'm going back out there," she said in a low tone. "I won't be able to live with myself if he gets to keep on killing people and destroying lives. This ends _now._"

"You don't have to this," Amy pleaded, placing a hand on Taylor's shoulder. "You could die. He's retreating now because of you, everyone's safe now."

Taylor shook her head. "If he stays alive, we'll never be safe."

What Amy did next surprised everyone watching, herself included. Taking Taylor's face in her hands, she leaned forward and brushed her lips against hers.

There was a brief pause as their lips touched, and then strong hands took hold of Amy's back as Taylor deepened the kiss.

Taylor finally broke away, letting go of Amy. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Then she was gone.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Behemoth was halfway buried when I arrived, his claws ripping away massive hunks of earth and stone as he retreated deeper into the earth. This was part of his modus operandi; he would retreat as soon as he appeared to be wounded, heal in the Earth's mantle, and then attack again. Just another part of the sick game he played with countless innocent lives.

I was having none of it. I lunged forward, taking hold of a gnarled obsidian toe and ripping him out of the ground like an oversized root. Behemoth roared at me, trying in vain to shake me loose as I carried him into the air. He blasted me again and again with his lightning, but I paid no heed to the heat in my gut as I sped ever upwards, the wind screaming past my ears.

The Herokiller shifted tactics, redirecting the momentum of his upward flight into a massive shockwave that briefly broke my grip. He didn't fall far before I grabbed him by his largest horn and continued to fly, gripping it so tighter than before. He alternated between lightning and shockwaves as we flew higher and he grew more desperate, but I held on with as much force as I could muster and refused to let go. The sound of the wind grew more fierce as I accelerated in the thinner air, then the crack of a sonic boom rolled across Paris as I broke the sound barrier.

The air grew more scarce as I soared ever higher, muffling Behemoth's roars and weakening his shockwaves as the medium they traveled through began to thin. The stars burned brighter as the thin veil of the atmosphere peeled away, and then...

Silence.

The sun burned into my face, unhindered by the protective gauze of the atmosphere, and I felt as though I had just stepped out of the shower. I let go of Behemoth and flew a short distance back, seeing if he would start falling back to the ground again. Satisfied that he wouldn't, I spread out my arms and soaked in the sun for a few more minutes. I paused for a few moments, thinking of what to do next. I briefly considered just leaving him there, but I realized that he'd find a way back down to the ground somehow. The only way I could stop him for good, was to kill him.

I watched as Behemoth flailed uselessly over the Earth, the strange and beautiful blue world I called home, the very home that he was trying to destroy. Dad was down there, his eyes probably glued to the television screen as he watched his only daughter go against an Endbringer. Amy was down there, and so was Emma, their lives hinging on what I did next. That was when the revelation hit me.

For the first time in my entire life, I no longer had to hold back.

I slammed back into Behemoth, pointing him towards the uninhabited wastes of the Arctic. The thin traces of air still lingering in that altitude caressed me gently as I flew as fast as I could, burning hot as it turned to plasma from our steep reentry. Behemoth roared, unceasing with his blasts, but I ignored them as I struck him in the gut repeatedly, throwing his dynakinesis off-balance and preventing him from using the plasma's heat against me.

There was an uninhabited Canadian island in my general line of sight, its snow-capped peaks glistening in the morning light. I directed Behemoth towards it, hoping to avoid as many casualties as humanly possible from the ensuing impact. Something told me there wasn't going to be much of an island left after I was done with it.

We hit the ground hard, its rocky soil giving way like water in a massive shockwave that sent lord-knows-how-many tons of molten debris into the air. Behemoth roared again as we dove deep into the earth, his flesh stripped to the bone from the sheer energy of the impact. His core was completely exposed now, shimmering in a bizarre manner across the entire spectrum, reminding me almost of a kaleidoscope my father had given me when I was a kid.

I lashed out at him with unrestrained fury, slamming my fists into his core as hard as I could and quickly annihilated the flesh he attempted to grow over it. My knuckles began to throb with actual pain as I smashed my hands against his core over and over, but I was too angry to notice it. The force of my blows increased in intensity, to the point where I could actually _see_ the individual atoms of oxygen and nitrogen forcibly fuse together from the sheer energy behind my fists. It was as if the very fabric of reality itself was threatening to tear from my fury.

Spiderwebs were forming in Behemoth's core now, widening with each relativistic punch I threw at it. Gamma rays and x-rays blasted from the points of contact, and I briefly wondered just how much of the island was going to remain afterwards.

As I felt pain overcome my body, I wondered if _I _was going to remain afterwards. A part of me deep down, the one that held my survival instinct, pleaded with me to stop before I killed myself.

An image of a dying boy coughing blood onto my chest entered my mind, and I ignored the pain.

Behemoth's cosmetic body was gone now, leaving only a damaged core. I raised both of my fists high over my head, pouring as much energy as I could into one final attack. With a scream of fury and agony, I brought them down. Behemoth's core split in two, and then there was a blinding light too bright for even me to behold.

Then darkness.


	23. Interlude VI

The island was gone.

A titanic crater had taken its place, massive clouds of steam billowing from where the roaring sea met magma gushing up from the mantle. The edges of the crater were ragged juts of continental crust that rose high above the horizon, exposing millions of years worth of strata to the open air.

Armsmaster stared at the scene before him with a grim countenance, his halberd gripped tightly. The destruction of the island had kicked up thousands of tons worth of debris up into the air, turning the sky a pitch black. He could faintly see a golden light streaking through the clouds, ash falling straight down wherever it followed, and a greenish light following after it. Scion and Eidolon were on the move, removing as much dust as they could before it wreaked havoc on the ecosystem.

_Seismographs around the world continue to record the shockwave caused by Supergirl's attack against Behemoth as it completes its fourth circling of the globe. Noticeable tremors have been recorded as far away as Japan, and scientists have stated the possible risk of a local nuclear winter in Canada and parts of the US..._

The shuttle rocked violently, distracting Armsmaster from the radio and forcing him to grab a handrail to avoid falling. The weather was getting rougher the closer they drew towards the crater; it was only due to Dragon's work that they were even getting this far in the first place.

"Sorry about that," Dragon replied in a static-crackled voice over the shuttle's radio. "The dust is messing with my equipment. Hopefully it'll get smoother as Eidolon and Scion keep up with what they're doing."

"How are the other craft faring?" Armsmaster inquired.

"About the same. The first recovery crew will arrive in fifteen minutes, assuming a relative lack of complications."

Armsmaster looked out of the window, his eyes scanning the devastation nearing them. "Such destruction," he murmured.

"We haven't gotten reports of civilian casualties yet; she really knew where to come down. Considering who she killed, I think this is a very light price to pay."

"That's assuming that he's actually dead," Armsmaster retorted. "We've seen him survive things he shouldn't have been able to; what makes you think this'll be different?"

Dragon paused for a few moments. "I guess I just have hope," she finally replied.

_..as of yet, however, Supergirl's whereabouts remain unknown._

* * *

**S**

* * *

_Fifteen Years Ago_

"Jor, your visitor has arrived."

"Thank you, Keelex," Jor-El replied, rising from his workstation and walking towards the open atrium of his home. "Let him inside."

There was a low hum as the transfer pad activated, and suddenly a man in elaborate robes was standing in the room with him, a symbol not unlike a sickle emblazoned on his chest. He stepped down from the transfer pad, smiling warmly.

"It's good to see you again, old friend," Zod said, clapping a firm hand on Jor-El's shoulder.

"Likewise," Jor-El replied. "Still playing general?"

Zod chuckled. "I don't see why they need to keep the ceremonial title; it's just military archives nowadays."

Jor-El shrugged. "It's important work, I suppose, and it's why I called you down." He gestured for Zod to follow. "Come."

The two of them returned to Jor-El's workstation. A capsule of sorts was lying atop of it, its innards exposed. Several data sticks were on the station as well, haphazardly strewn about.

"What is it?" Zod asked, gently running a hand over the capsule.

"Our last hope," Jor-El replied. "You do remember the discussions in the council regarding my discovery of the Phantom drive, correct?"

"It was a bust," Zod said. "The drive was incapable of transporting anything larger than a small child; there was no way we could use it for evacuation. If I recall correctly, that was when we decided on the time capsule projects." His eyes narrowed. "Have you managed to surpass that limitation?"

Jor-El nodded slowly. "I'm afraid not. We cannot send an adult away from here."

"Then how would you-" Zod began, only for the realization to hit him. "You didn't."

A baby's cries echoed through the halls, prompting Zod to snap his head towards the source of the sound. "Great Rao, you actually did," he muttered in disbelief.

Jor-El brushed past Zod, walking towards the wails. A few moments passed, and he returned with the infant in his arms, patting its back affectionately. "Zod, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Zara."

The general gaped at the baby, taking a few steps forward. Zara cooed at his presence and reached a small hand upward. Zod extended his own hand, letting her play with his fingers. "This is against the law, Jor," he warned in a soft tone.

"That law was put in place because it would be cruel to raise a child when they'd never see adulthood," Jor-El replied. "But she will."

"You're going to put her in that capsule, aren't you?" Zod asked. "Send her away from Krypton before it's destroyed."

Jor-El shook his head. "Indeed. I already have a planet selected." He gestured his head towards the service drone waiting in the corner of the room. "Keelex, display."

"Acknowledged," Keelex replied, producing a holographic image of a blue world spinning on its axis. There was far less land available, Zod noted, and it appeared that the atmosphere was thicker. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful planet.

"I remember this," Zod murmured. "This was one of the planets we tried to colonize all those thousands of years ago, back when we sent out sleeper ships."

"It's called 'Earth' by the natives there," Jor-El added. "They look alarmingly alike to us, though there are still some outward differences. "Lara's been giving her gene therapy so she'd fit in. We had to remove the ancillary thumbs and give her back her canines, to name a few changes."

Something clicked in Zod's head, a recollection of observations made by scientists across history. "Why Earth?" he asked. "It's one of the worlds being affected by those... things."

"It is also a world orbiting a yellow sun," Jor-El replied. "Her cells will drink in its radiation and fuel powers that could match those monstrous beings in strength. We must face the facts, Zod. In the past 10,000 years we've witnessed the deaths of twenty-seven different worlds at the hands of the Destroyers, and that's not counting their counterparts in other universes. If we simply send out our time capsules to other worlds, they could get their hands on our technology and knowledge. Do you really want them to know of the Source?"

Zod fell silent for a few minutes, mulling over the ramifications of what his friend told him. "What do you want me to do?" he finally asked in a low voice.

"I need the records on the sleeper ships. The crews never survived the journeys, but we both know the ships did. With Kryptonian technology to compound her abilities, she could put a stop to the Destroyers once and for all."

"And recreate Krypton whenever she saw fit," Zod added, absentmindedly stroking his beard. "Those ships are marvels, even by today's standards; she could genetically reconstitute an entire ecosystem with that technology."

Jor-El allowed himself a small smile. "Hope _is_ my family crest, after all. Perhaps, when all is said and done, Krypton and the people will form a union greater than its component parts, bridged together by a daughter of both worlds."

Zod straightened himself, his face hardening. "I'll get you the records, Jor," he said in a firm tone. "I'll also delay the time capsule project as much as possible. Maybe I'll pull out some obscure legal technicalities and keep them occupied with that."

Jor-El smiled warmly. "Thank you, my friend. I know how much you're putting yourself at risk, doing this."

Zod allowed a small grin as he walked towards the transfer pad. "No task is too daunting when the cause is right. Courage is _my_ family crest, after all."

With that, he stepped onto the transfer pad and disappeared.

* * *

**S**

* * *

The shuttle touched down on the sea, bobbing gently in the waves. The waters were far calmer than Armsmaster suspected, most likely Scion's doing.

"The other shuttles have touched down as well," Dragon said. "Rescue parties are being sent down as we speak."

"Any sign of Behemoth?"

"I'm scanning right now, but I doubt we'll be able to find his radiation signature through half a mile of water. We'd have to send someone down to confirm."

"How convenient," Armsmaster muttered.

The hangar doors opened, revealing murky seas that extended to the horizon. A gust of hot air brushed against his face, and he wondered just how hot the water was now.

It didn't seem to stop Aegis. The young Ward dove right into the water, disappearing from sight in the massive clouds of silt brewing under the surface. Several PRT officers in scuba gear followed after him, as well as a Tinker-made drone. Panacea watched them go, her eyes puffy. The rest of the New Wave were uncharacteristically quiet.

"She's quite distressed," Armsmaster said. "I didn't know they were friends."

"If the statements I've been gathering are true, they might actually be more than that," Dragon replied. "You should try and comfort her."

Sighing, he stepped forward and clamped a hand on Panacea's shoulder. "We'll find her," he said in what he hoped to be a reassuring tone.

The youngest member of the New Wave made a small sobbing sound. "What makes you so sure?" she asked weakly. "Do you actually see what happened here? She's probably lying dead on the ocean floor or something." Tears began to roll down her cheeks, and she turned back to the deceptively peaceful sea. "How can you be so sure?"

Armsmaster patted her shoulder gently, thinking of an answer. Finally, he decided to echo what Dragon had told him.

"I guess I just have hope."

* * *

**S**

* * *

"How much longer?" Lara asked, holding Zara to her chest tightly as a slight tremor rocked through the halls.

"Krypton's life is numbered in days, now," Jor-El replied as they hurried towards the main atrium. "Hours, even. We need to launch as soon as possible."

The transfer pad flashed, and Zod appeared before them, his robes billowing in the wind. The general marched forward and slapped a data stick into Jor-El's palm, his face grim. "I've gotten the records on the sleeper ship that went to Earth. If the last bits of telemetry we got from it are correct, it should still be in working order."

"Thank you, my old friend," Jor-El replied, clenching his hand around the data stick. "You've saved our daughter."

Zod allowed himself a small grin. "Think nothing of it, Jor. I wish I could stay longer, but it appears that the world is coming to an end. I would like to spend my last day with my wife, if you don't mind."

"Give Faora my best wishes," Lara said.

"I can't tell if you were trying to be funny or not," the general replied as he stepped back onto the transfer pad. His smile faded, and he bowed slightly to the couple. "Farewell, my old friend," he said solemnly.

The transfer pad flickered, and he was gone.

The halls trembled again, prompting a wail from Zara. Lara held the infant close to her chest, trying to comfort her. "We have to go," she urged.

Jor-El gave the transfer pad one last glance, sighing softly. "Keelex, prepare the rocket for launch," he commanded.

"Acknowledged," the drone replied, zipping past them. Jor-El and Lara followed after it, stooping as to protect their child from any falling debris. The tremors grew in strength, causing them to almost lose their footing as they hurried towards the launching station.

The capsule stood on a raised platform, its hatch opened wide. The tremors were weaker now, and a light sense of relief washed over them as they stepped towards the rocket. With a moment's reluctance, Lara placed Zara into the capsule, making sure the cape bundled around her was snug and secure. "Make a better world out there," she whispered, kissing the baby on the forehead.

Jor-El carefully placed the data sticks inside the capsule alongside Zara, pausing for a moment to stroke her head lovingly. "Goodbye, Zara. You will be the last daughter of Krypton, but through you we will endure."

The rocket tilted upright, flames blasting forth as it soared into the sky. There was a soft violet light as its Phantom drive activated, and then it was gone.

Lara rested her head against Jor-El's shoulder, tears rolling down her cheeks. "To think that she'll be on another world, all alone."

"No," Jor-El said firmly. "She'll _never_ be alone." He took her hand in his, squeezing it gently. "Come," he said softly.

They walked back towards the atrium, hand in hand, and waited for a sunrise that never came.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Aegis burst out of the waves, newly formed gills receding back into the flesh of his neck. "They found her!" he rasped.

As if on cue, the Tinker-made drone rose above the surface, carrying the limp form of Taylor towards the shuttle. At the sight of her, Amy bolted upright and jostled towards the edge of the water. "I need to help her," she said in an almost-pleading tone.

Armsmaster let her pass after a moment's hesitation. Amy knelt down to examine Taylor, her face contorting with concern as she looked her over. Her costume was almost completely shredded, barely covering her modesty. Her face was swollen and bruised, and pinkish blood leaked from dozens of small cuts and gashes. A bright glint from Taylor's hand caught Amy's eye, and with a pang of nausea she realized that her knuckles had worn down to reveal crystalline bone underneath.

Amy set to work with her power, trying to heal Taylor's severe injuries, but realized that something was wrong. The flesh was knitting together too slowly; it was as if it refused to be moved. Nonetheless, she pushed on.

Motion stirred in Taylor, and a bloodshot eye creaked open. "Is... everyone... s-safe?" she managed to croak out.

Amy nodded through her tears, gently stroking Taylor's face with the back of her hand. "You did it. Everyone's safe."

"G-good. All that r-really matters..." Taylor trailed off, slipping back into unconsciousness.

Amy could sense that the life was draining from Taylor with every passing second, despite her power kicking into overdrive. "We need to get her sunlight," she said.

"What do you mea-?" Armsmaster began, only to be silenced with a glare from Amy. He sighed, realizing that a healer like her probably knew just what was needed. He activated his communicator. "Legend," he said.

"Did we find her?" Legend inquired.

"She's alive, if only barely. Panacea's having trouble trying to heal her, she says she needs sunlight."

"I'm on my way."


	24. Interlude VII

Legend touched down gently by Taylor's side. "I came as fast as I could. How is she?"

Amy shook her head. "Bad. She has severe bruising and lacerations, and I think she broke a rib."

"You think?" Legend asked, furrowing his brow. "I thought you could detect a person's injuries."

"There's something about her, something that messes with my power," Amy replied. "That's why I can't heal her. She needs sunlight. Lots of it."

"I think I might be able to make a laser based on solar energy, but it would be pretty dangerous to use with everyone around here," Legend said, crouching down beside Amy. "Are you sure?"

Amy nodded, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. "She'll die if we don't do something."

Legend sighed and rose to his feet, his gaze still focused on Taylor's unconscious form. "I need everyone to get some distance from here; someone might get fried by accident."

"On it," Aegis said, gently taking Amy by the shoulders and lifting her into the air. Vicky and the others followed, carrying those who couldn't fly. They flew behind the shuttle, placing it lengthwise between them and Legend.

Once they were clear, Legend raised both of his hands warily, pointing them at Taylor. A fierce light began to emanate from them, rapidly growing in intensity until the water surrounding him and Taylor began to flash into steam. He continued to fire the beam until he felt the exhaustion begin to set in, then gradually stopped and let the light fade. To his surprise, it had actually worked. The various gashes and bruises were gone, and her breathing seemed to have become more even.

Gently, he took Taylor into his arms and flew back to the shuttle, meeting up with the rest of the gathered capes. "She seems to be holding up a lot better, but I think it'd be for the best if we erred on the side of caution. I'm taking her to the nearest Protectorate sickbay; I'll also have a teleporter get Panacea there so she can help with the treatment."

"Any sign of Behemoth?" Armsmaster inquired, settling back onto the platform as Vicky let go of him.

Legend shook his head. "No trace of him whatsoever. No ichor, no pieces of flesh, nothing. I don't think even he could've walked away from that, but we won't stop until we're sure." With that, he took off.

Armsmaster watched them go, then turned his gaze back to the sea, his brows furrowing. Something bright red caught his attention, standing out amongst the murky waters. Cautiously, he reached out with his halberd and plucked it from the water. It was her cape; it must have been dislodged from her neck during the whole fiasco and forgotten in the recovery efforts. He hefted it in his hands, examining it. To his surprise, it was completely unscathed from its ordeal.

"Odd," he muttered, eyeing the sigil on it. "Dragon, are you still investigating the Brainstorm case?"

"Of course, though it's taken a bit of a back burner because of the last few days' events."

"Good. I think I have something for you." He held the cape high, letting the camera in his helmet get a good look at it.

"You took her cape?" Dragon asked in accusing tone. "I don't think she would appreciate that."

"It would've been forgotten at sea if I hadn't grabbed it. I'm not planning on keeping it, but I think we might be able to do some analysis before she wakes up. We'll give it back if she asks for it."

"It still rubs me the wrong way, Colin. It's a violation of her privacy _and_ the Endbringer Truce if we just take her cape apart; we shouldn't be prodding into someone's Tinkertech."

"Are we just going to drop the Brainstorm case, then?" Armsmaster asked in an exasperated tone. "At the very least we should do some passive scans on it, try to see if we can replicate it as armor for future fights. It survived a blast that destroyed _Behemoth_; we'd be pretty foolish if we didn't try to learn from it."

There was a brief pause, followed by a sigh. "All right, I'll assist in passive scans. _No_ taking it apart, though. I wouldn't want to be on her bad side if I were you."

Armsmaster allowed himself a small smile. "Good."

* * *

**S**

* * *

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** Topic: Behemoth Slain?!  
In: Boards ► World News ► Main ► **

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

News is still coming in, so be prepared for incorrect info and speculation.

According to PRT officials, it appears that the Endbringer Behemoth has... been killed. Apparently he appeared after the Simurgh faked an appearance, then began to tear into unprepared front lines before someone took him into space and suplexed him into Canada.

EDIT: Apparently the island in question is, or rather _was_, St. Devon Island. That's the 27th largest island in the world. _Whistles_

EDIT 2: They've just confirmed that Behemoth is indeed dead, they found what little of him that remained resting on the bottom of St. Devon Crater.

**Bagrat** (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

Holy fuck. Holy fuckity fuckity fuck. I thought I'd never actually see this splayed on the boards. Who the fuck did this?

**MANteater **(Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

Scion? Makes the most sense, really. Either him or Eidolon.

**Chevalier **(Verified Cape)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

It wasn't Scion; he didn't show up until after the fight had ended. Statements have yet to be made on the matter of who actually killed Behemoth, so don't ask me.

**OneEyedPeopleEater  
**Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

If it wasn't Scion, then who the hell was it? I'm having a lot of trouble swallowing what's happening.

**Gojira-kun **  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

Maybe it was a concentrated effort? Maybe the Triumvirate managed to do something against him with help from the French. I heard that the military was involved as well.

**namekian69**  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

fuck yes! suck it, Behemoth! looks like someone got sick of yo shit.

**Bagrat** (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

An orbital suplex... that's too awesome for my mind to handle.

Is there actually anyone who can survive in the vacuum of space?

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

I believe Legend and Eidolon can, but it wasn't them. According to the latest PRT report, it was actually _Supergirl_ who did Behemoth in.

**OneEyedPeopleEater  
**Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

Supergirl? Wasn't she that cape who took down the E88 and ABB in a single fight? She seemed tough, but not _that _tough.

BTW, did anyone else feel the tremors? My chair fell over when they hit.

**DHebert **(New Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

I felt the tremors, too. Is there any word on Supergirl's status?

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

None yet. I don't know if she survived; that impact must have been in the gigatons at the _least_ in order to completely destroy an island like that, and it's hard to believe someone could survive something that took down a fucking Endbringer.

**Bagrat **(The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

Another PRT report just came out. She made it, if only barely. For some reason, healers were having a bit of trouble treating her and they had to bring inactual doctors to assist. She's stable, thankfully, and is recovering at an undisclosed location.

**DHebert** (New Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

That's good to hear.

**OneEyedPeopleEater **  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

She's gonna wake up to a media shitstorm...

**Lurker **(Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 23rd, 2009:

Holy shit, she actually survived. I'm actually kinda scared now. I mean, _Scion _hasn't been able to take one down, and now she manages to kill the fucking Herokiller? Let's just hope she stays the nice kitten-saving gal we've known her to be...

**(End of Page) (1,2,3,...****168****)**

* * *

**S**

* * *

Armsmaster rubbed his temples warily, glaring at the red cape stretched out on the temporary workstation before him. It would be another half-hour before they arrived back at his workshop, the equipment aboard Dragon's shuttle would have to do for now. Absentmindedly he reached for a nano-blade, only for Dragon to cough forcefully.

Armsmaster retracted his hand. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Bit of tunnel vision there." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. This is getting nowhere. This thing seems to be almost mocking me with its refusal to be analyzed."

"Well, considering the fact that it survived something that killed Behemoth, it's not that altogether surprising," Dragon replied. "I've been continuing with some of the more unorthodox scans, but the results don't make any sense. It's clearly mechanical in nature, but its structure is so intricately complex that it seems to be almost alive."

"Biomechanical, but coming from the other side of the spectrum. I don't think I've ever seen something like that before. Have you been able to access any more of Brainstorm's notes? Perhaps he was able to find a way to analyze it, a technique or tool that we're missing."

"Unfortunately, no. Leviathan's attack was quite thorough; perhaps only 7% of all data in Newfoundland was ever recovered. If Brainstorm managed to find a way, the waters have claimed it."

"Damn," Armsmaster muttered, rubbing his beard absentmindedly. Sighing, he removed his glove as to feel the strange cape before him, running his fingers over its fabric. It was almost silken in texture, but it was smoother. He moved his fingers upward, edging towards the strange 'S' sigil on it...

Suddenly, he was no longer in his workshop, instead finding himself in a bizarre atrium of sorts. There were open hallways ringing the clearing, and with wide eyes he realized that some of them led to fields of _red_ grass.

"What the fu-" he began, only to silence himself when he realized that a man in strange robes was standing before him. His attention shifted to the sigil on the man's chest, which he realized to be the same on the cape. "Who the hell are you?" he growled, reaching for a nonexistent halberd.

The man smiled warmly, his eyes not exactly focused on Armsmaster. "Hello," he said softly. "This is a prerecorded neural message, so I'm afraid you can't ask me any questions. I wouldn't be surprised if you're doing that right now, begging me for answers. You shall receive..."


	25. Icon 5-1

I didn't know how long it took for me to become aware of my surroundings again. I was later told that I was out for only a few hours, but to me it seemed to drag on into eternity as I became increasingly aware of the sounds of the world. It had been so long since I had last slept, that I had forgotten what it was even like.

My eyes creaked open, and I slowly rose into an upright position. I was in a hospital room of sorts, that much I could tell. My uniform was gone, replaced by a crisp hospital gown that exposed way too much of me to the wind. Peering through into the halls around the room, I saw that there was practical army of PRT officers holding back legions of reporters from it. Alexandria, Eidolon, and Legend were in the hall nearby, discussing something in low hushed tones. Their voices were strangely muffled; it seemed that they had decided to soundproof the walls.

It was then that I became aware of someone snoring softly to my right, prompting me to turn my head. Amy was sleeping next to me in a chair, her hood pulled back to reveal her frizzy brown hair. I breathed a sigh of relief and felt a warmth grow in my chest at the sight of her, safe and sound.

Amy stirred, her eyes opening as she stretched her arms upward. Her gaze fell upon me, and a smile formed on her lips. "You're awake."

I smiled back, swiveling my legs over the bed. "I have you to thank for that."

Amy's smile faded, her gaze averting from mine. "Thank Legend. My power wasn't working on you fast enough; I had to have him make sunlight in order to heal you. If it weren't for him-"

"If it weren't for you telling him about the sunlight, I would be dead," I said, rising to my feet and placing my hand on her shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

She looked into my eyes again, and I didn't need superhuman vision to see the distress behind them. "There was blood everywhere," she said at a half-whisper. "I could feel how weak you were, and I thought..."

I gave her shoulder a firm squeeze. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

A silence hung in the air between us for a few moments. Amy reached up with her hand and wrapped it around mine, squeezing it with all of her strength. Her heart was racing again, and I could see the heat blooming from her cheeks. "Do... do you remember what happened before you went off to fight Behemoth that last time? What happened between us?"

"Do you mean the kiss?" I asked. "I'm glad I remember."

Another smile appeared on Amy's face, more sheepish than the last. "You are?"

I nodded. "I know it was a bit awkward between us when we were leaving that pizza place, and I'm sorry if I did anything to hurt your feelings." I sighed, stooping down so that I'd be at eye level with her. "I've been so... confused ever since we met; I had never done romance with anyone. But now that I've met you, it feels as though my head is clear."

"You have no idea how much that means to me," Amy said. "I was scared of what you'd say when you woke up."

I opened my mouth to say something, only for a knock on the door to interrupt me. Legend stepped inside the room, followed by Armsmaster. My cape was folded neatly in his hands, and he deposited it carefully on the bed. "Hope I'm not interrupting. How are you feeling?" he asked, flashing a smile.

"I'm fine," I replied, noticing that Amy had let go of my hand. "Where's my dad?"

"He's alive and well, but he can't come to visit you at the moment. In case you haven't noticed yet, you've stirred up the biggest media storm in years by killing Behemoth. Reporters, investigators, and the odd villain are practically turning this place inside out to get as much information as possible; your identity would be at severe risk if he came to visit you. Eidolon's using some electrical disruption power to kill any bugs planted in here, and we've placed you in the most isolated wing of the hospital. We're arranging for a teleporter to bring your father in as soon as we can, but even that's tricky business." He sighed, rubbing a temple. "I know you want to see him, but I hope you can wait a little bit longer."

I nodded slowly. "How much longer do I have to be here?"

"Not very long. The Endbringer truce is, for the moment anyway, still around. As you are an independent hero, it would be a pretty bad idea to detain you here just because we have some questions. Besides, something tells me we wouldn't be able to do much if you decided to leave regardless of what's going on."

I shrugged. "Fair enough."

Legend smiled again. "That's good to hear, Taylor. You did a good thing yesterday, the _greatest_ thing. You've saved countless millions of lives by killing Behemoth, and the world loves you for it. Words alone cannot describe how grateful we are for what you did." With that, he left the room.

Armsmaster watched Legend leave, then turned back to me. "That was a very brave thing you did back there," he said in a surprisingly soft tone. "It almost killed you, but you were still willing to do it. It's a good thing that you've already recovered."

"I just needed some sunlight," I replied.

"Good thing that Miss Dallon here knew about that," he said, his gaze turning to the folded cape on my bed. There was a knowing look on his face as he did so, and my eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. "I found your cape drifting in the water after Legend took you to the hospital; I decided to salvage it for you. Remarkable thing to survive something that destroyed Behemoth, I must say." He sat down in a chair, laying his halberd across his lap. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the Rare Earth Hypothesis?"

"It's a theory amongst astrobiologists that the conditions necessary for life on other worlds are nearly impossible to obtain," I replied uneasily, a knot beginning to form in my stomach as I recalled my cursory readings into the subject. "There so many factors that go into making Earth inhabitable that it would seem incredibly unlikely for them to be common across the universe, like metallicity of the parent star, atmospheric composition, and a relative scarcity of large-scale impact events."

"An excellent explanation; it's not everyday you meet someone who is versed in astrobiology." He readjusted himself, and I noticed that his heart rate was elevated. "You are also likely aware of the Drake Equation, then?"

I nodded.

"Well, when you take into account what factors we know for the Drake Equation and the evidence for the Rare Earth Hypothesis, that would indicate that it would be even more improbable for _intelligent _life on other worlds to form, and even more impossible for that species to develop to a point where they were capable of spaceflight before going extinct. And the likelihood of intelligent life possessing even a passing resemblance to us... well, that would seem flat-out impossible." He leaned forward in his seat slightly, and I saw him briefly glance back at my cape. "Tell me, what would you do in my shoes if you had obtained concrete proof of the impossible?"

Amy gasped behind me as she put the pieces together, and my chest tightened. _Oh god, he knows_. I glanced back at my cape, folded so that the sigil was displayed in the center. He must have touched it when he was salvaging it for me, exposing himself to the neural message within and revealing my deepest secret. Swallowing nervously, I turned back to Armsmaster. "Have you told anyone else?" I asked in a low tone.

He visible relaxed at the question; it seemed as though he was expecting a far worse reaction. "I've told no one else, not even Dragon. She would've initiated Master/Stranger protocols if I had done so; exposure to unknown technology that does something to your brain is at the top of the list. And I'm not sure if I'm going to tell anyone else." His voice lowered, as if the soundproofed walls gave him little comfort. "Do any of you fully realize the consequences of this? How it would challenge our beliefs, our philosophies, the very way we look at the universe? The last member of a hyper-advanced alien species that looked exactly like our own, coming to Earth to save it from an unknown threat that everyone looks up to. Not only that, but a _teenaged_ member of said species is strong enough to kill something that fought off entire armies of our most powerful capes. If you think this media uproar is bad, imagine the one that would ensue if they learned that the current object of everyone's fixations is a godlike alien."

"What _are_ you going to do, then?" Amy asked, stepping to my side.

Armsmaster rubbed his beard, sighing. "At this point? No fucking clue. My entire world's been turned upside down just from a simple message." He rose from his seat and began pacing about the room. "You had to have come here in a spacecraft of sorts. Do you still have it? Does it contain any data about Krypton?"

"It had a microfilm of sorts," I replied. "I keep it under my bed."

Armsmaster raised an eyebrow. "You keep the last remaining database of your hyper-advanced people under your _bed_?" He looked as though he was about to say something else, then palmed his face and shook his head. "Never mind. Does the database have anything about the threat Jor-El mentioned?"

I shook my head. "If there is, I haven't found it yet. There's several libraries worth of information in there; I still haven't read it all."

"Maybe he was afraid that someone would find out?" Amy offered. "It's in English, right? If the threat is an individual, he might not have wanted to risk it finding out about you and Krypton."

"That would make sense," Armsmaster murmured, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. "Perhaps he also put another database in with you, something that only a person from Krypton could access, but it was lost when you arrived."

"It's entirely possible," I said. "There's one way we could be sure, though."

"Oh?" Armsmaster asked. "What is it?"

"Simple. I ask my dad when he gets here; he was the one who found me after all. He might know something that we don't."

Armsmaster stopped his pacing. "Is that why he didn't want you in the Wards? He was afraid that we'd find out?"

I nodded, crossing my arms across my chest. "Looks like his fears weren't unfounded."

Armsmaster grunted. "It's beside the point, anyway. I'll see if I can brush past the red tape and contact your father about the rocket. If what Jor-El said was true, the fate of the world may rest on what he does next."

With that, he left the room.


	26. Icon 5-2

Armsmaster strode down the halls of the hospital, making sure to avoid the veritable mob of TV reporters, journalists, and spectators who wanted to catch a glimpse of the "Behemoth Slayer". Once he was sure that there was no one nearby, he reactivated the commset in his helmet. "Dragon, are you still there?"

"I am," Dragon replied. "Were you able to find out anything else about the cape when you returned it to Ms. Hebert?"

"She was rather tight-lipped about it, unfortunately, and I decided against pressing her with questions." Armsmaster breathed deeply before continuing. "I need to you to contact her father as soon as you can; there's an enforced communications blackout around here."

"About what? Colin, you're acting a bit stranger than usual, and your suit's telemetry indicates that you're undergoing a fair bit of stress. Is there something you're not telling me about your meeting with Ms. Hebert?"

"I'm fine, Dragon. I just need to contact him regarding something small."

"You're a really bad liar, Colin. I'm not contacting Mr. Hebert and risking a security breach without knowing the _real_ reason why."

Armsmaster gritted his teeth. "It's a private family matter between the two of them, Dragon. I would be violating their privacy if I went and told you about it, and it would not be a good idea for either of us to be on the bad side of someone who killed the _fucking Herokiller_." He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Please, allow me to contact him."

There was a long pause, then Dragon spoke. "Alright. I've routed your commset to the Hebert residence's landline; he should be picking up the phone any moment now."

"Thank you, Dragon."

"I'm still a bit wary of what happened in that room," the voice in his helmet replied. "I hope you'll discuss it with me later." With that, she signed off.

Silence reigned for a few seconds, and then there was the sound of a phone being picked up. "Hello?" a soft male voice asked warily. "Who is this?"

"Mr. Hebert? This is Armsmaster. I would like you to ask her a few questions about Taylor."

"How's she doing? I was told that she was okay, but they didn't say anything else."

"She's fine, Mr. Hebert. Panacea was quite thorough with the treatments; Taylor just needs you to file out the necessary paperwork to have her released from the hospital."

"I was told that they'd arrange a visit for me this afternoon; did they change it?"

"No, no. I simply wanted to ask you something before you were brought in."

A sigh crackled across the commset. "Go ahead, shoot."

"Was there anything else in the rocket?"

* * *

**S**

* * *

Unfortunately, Amy couldn't stay for very long; the Protectorate had other wounded that needed her attention. That left me alone in the room, not allowed to leave as I hadn't been given a clean bill of health. I briefly played with the idea of simply leaving through the window, but decided against it. For an hour or so, I entertained myself with stargazing, but eventually I began to have my fill.

I was starting to get _really_ bored laying on the bed when I heard a soft _woosh _of air. Sitting up, I saw that Dad was in the room, a teleporter gripping his arm. The cape gave me a little nod, then disappeared.

"Hi, sweetie," Dad said weakly, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. "Ugh, I don't want to do that again; I fell like I'm going to barf."

I sprang from my bed and wrapped my arms around him in a crushing bear hug, lifting him clean off the floor. "I missed you," I said softly.

"I missed you too," Dad replied, patting me on the back. "I'm glad to see you're all right."

I set him back down on the floor. "When are we leaving? They said that I could go when you came to pick me up."

Dad smiled warmly. "Don't worry, I already filed the necessary paperwork. The teleporter's coming back in a few minutes to take us home." He sighed deeply before continuing. "We need to talk about something."

My smile faded. "The rocket."

"I got a call from that Armsmaster fellow before I came here. He was spouting off about the rocket, asking if there was anything else in it, and then gave me his email in case I didn't want to tell him over the phone. It's pretty clear that he knows the truth about where you're from, and I'm not sure if we can trust him."

"We _have_ to trust him, Dad. He could've spilled the beans while I was unconscious, but he didn't say a word."

"And if he changes his mind? Even if he wouldn't reveal your secret, there's always the risk of someone finding out from him. There are capes who can practically read minds, or hack into just about any computer in the world. Now that he knows, it's only a matter of time before the truth about you gets out."

I fell silent for a few moments, thinking deeply about what Dad had said. Finally, I spoke.

"If that's the case, maybe we should do it on our own."

Dad's eyebrows shot upward. "What?"

I shrugged. "If the truth's going to get out, then maybe we should do it on our own terms. Everyone's been clamoring over me since I killed Behemoth, right? Now would be the best time to reveal what I _really_ am, when the entire world is celebrating what I did."

Dad opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted when the teleporter reappeared. He shot me a look that said "we'll discuss this later", then turned back to the cape. "We're ready to go."

The cape nodded, then gently took both of us by the arm. There was a fleeting sensation of weightlessness, then we were back in our living room. The cape let go of our arms and turned to us. "The PRT's going to be checking in on you for two weeks, nothing noticeable. If you feel concerned for your safety, you only need to contact us via emergency channels." He turned specifically to me and smiled behind his mask. "You have my gratitude for what you did back there. I was one of the wounded at the evac site."

With that, he disappeared.

Dad sighed and turned to me. "Maybe telling the truth wouldn't be _that_ bad of an idea. I'm still a bit hesitant on it, though."

"Was there actually something else in the rocket?" I asked. "You didn't say anything about it."

"As a matter of fact, there was," he replied. "A bunch of weird cylinders with your 'S' thing on them; my tinker friend couldn't make heads or tails of them."

"Maybe your friend couldn't, but I think I know someone who can."

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Colin?"

Armsmaster looked up from his workstation. "Yes, Dragon?"

"I'm still thinking about that cape, you know. We've worked together for years; I can tell when you're not yourself. You learned _something_ when you were in that room with Ms. Hebert, and something tells me it wasn't some private family matter either." Her digital avatar expanded, simulating the effect of her leaning in. "Colin, you can trust me. What did you learn about the cape?"

Armsmaster shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "Dragon, I want to tell you, I really do. If I did, though, it could have grave ramifications."

"For you?"

"For _everyone_."

"That's not helping your case," Dragon said in a low tone. "It's making me even more concerned about what happened. _Please,_ tell me what happened. If there are indeed grave ramifications, I just can't stand by when I could do something to help."

"Dragon, it's not a simple as you think it is, there are-"

"There's something you need to know about me."

Armsmaster paused briefly. "What?"

"If something concerns you about Supergirl, a cape that just killed a monster that could outfight armies of the most powerful parahumans alive, then I should be alert about it. But, I can also see that I need to fully earn your trust before you can even _think_ about telling me the truth." She paused briefly, as if mulling over what she was going to say next. "If I tell you something about me that I could never let anyone else know, would you return the favor?"

Armsmaster fell silent for a few moments. "Yes," he finally answered, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

Dragon sighed. "Okay." Her avatar straightened, as if she was mustering up the courage to say what came next. "Back in Newfoundland, before Leviathan sank it beneath the waves, there was a Tinker named Richter..."

* * *

**S**

* * *

Danny Hebert breathed deeply as he reclined back in his chair, finally allowing himself a moment's rest. The past thirty-six hours had been a nightmare for him, having begun when he woke up to realize that Taylor was gone and ending when he finally got to see her. After all of that, he simply desired a good night's sleep.

Unfortunately for him, that was when his phone decided to ring. Groaning loudly, he fumbled for it and clicked the "talk" button. "Hello?" he said wearily, pressing the phone to his ear.

"Mr. Hebert?"

Danny straightened, suddenly feeling less tired. "You got my email?"

"I did," Armsmaster replied. "I decided a phone call would prompt a more immediate response. So, you're allowing me to examine the data sticks?"

"Yes," Danny replied uneasily. "Aren't you worried about someone listening in on this?"

"Phone calls are much easier to protect than email exchanges when there is little suspicion involved," Armsmaster replied. "We don't have to worry."

"That's good to hear, I guess."

"That's good to hear. My workshop is relatively isolated within the PHQ, it would fairly easy to arrange a meeting under the guise of giving your daughter a tour."

"You can do that?"

"Mr. Hebert, your daughter just killed _Behemoth._ If she wants a meeting, she'll get one." With that, he hung up.

Danny sighed and laid back onto the chair. Today had already been a long day, but he had a feeling that tomorrow was going to be even longer.


	27. Icon 5-3

The sun was still low on the horizon when Dad and I left in the morning. Thankfully, it appeared that the PRT managed to conceal my identity from the public during the whole fiasco; no one even looked twice at us as we drove towards Protectorate Headquarters. I guess the old adage "people only see what they want to see" holds a lot more weight than most give thought to.

Armsmaster was standing at the entrance, just as scheduled. "Good morning," he said as we stepped out of the car. "Did you bring what I asked for?"

"I have it with me," Dad replied, patting his pocket. "Are we doing the 'tour' now?"

"Of course. We've arranged a preset course through the building to prevent anyone from seeing the two of you. Only the higher ups in the PRT actually know your daughter's identity. As far as the rest of the workers here know, we're giving a tour to a potential Ward who's hesitant about revealing her civilian guise." He gestured towards the entrance with his halberd. "Follow me."

The tour was, for lack of better words, boring. Armsmaster droned out preplanned snippets as we hastily passed by rooms containing PRT equipment, cape lockers, and the more mundane facilities of the building. Eventually, however, we managed to get to the Tinker workshop. Armsmaster hurriedly opened the door and ushered us in, then shut the door behind us.

I looked around the workshop, eyeing the room carefully for bugs. Satisfied that there weren't any, I turned to Armsmaster. "We're good."

Armsmaster nodded. "Excellent." He turned to Dad and outstretched an open hand. "May I see the data sticks?"

Dad nodded, reaching inside his pocket and fishing out a fistful of small metal cylinders around the size of pencils. "That's all of them," he said, dumping them into Armsmaster's palm.

Armsmaster hefted them in his gauntleted hand, his brow furrowing behind his helmet. "Strange design," he muttered. He walked over to the workstation and gently placed them on top. "We'll start with some passive scans, try to see if we can figure out how they work. Once we get a handle on how the interface functions, I might be able to create an adapter of sorts that'll allow us to access the data inside with normal computers."

"What if you can't?" I asked. "I mean, these guys were mastering atomic power when we were beating each other with sticks."

"There's always that possibility, I'm afraid." Armsmaster sighed, sparing a glance to the data sticks. "If I _am_ unable to actually access the data inside, would it be possible to... outsource?"

"Outsource?" My dad's brow furrowed. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

"I'm talking about contacting Dragon," Armsmaster replied. "She's the greatest Tinker in the entire world, Mr. Hebert. If anyone can access what's in those data sticks, it'd be her."

My eyes narrowed as he spoke. There was a bloom of infrared in his cheeks, accompanied by a slight increase in his heartbeat as he talked about Dragon. Snorting lightly, I sensed a shift in the pheromones his body outputted. I vaguely became aware of the irony that I was using his own trick against him, using subtle body cues to find out the truth. Suddenly, it clicked into place.

"Jesus Christ," I said aloud. "You already told her, didn't you?"

The heat coming from his face spiked at the accusation, and his heart began to beat ever faster as the stench of pheromones grew stronger. "Well, I had no actual intention..." he stammered, taking a step back.

"I thought we could trust you," Dad growled, the old family temper flaring up. "Not a day goes by and you already spill the beans on us."

"Don't blame Colin too harshly," a soft feminine voice said to the side. "I put too much pressure on him in the wrong places; he wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't me."

Turning, I saw that Dragon's digital avatar was now visible from one of the workshop's many monitors. Even with the limited nature of the image, I could see that there was a look of remorse on her face. "Why did you do it?" I asked, feeling the anger drain from me.

Dragon sighed. "I don't know what came over me, honestly. Armsmaster and I were investigating a case involving your cape, and I got tunnel vision. It only got worse after he gave the cape back to you; there was _something_ he was hiding from me, something that made him nervous. You have to understand, killing Behemoth was a great thing you did, but it was also _terrifying_. The sheer power you yield dwarfs that of any parahuman; there's nothing we could do if you went on a rampage. When he learned something about you that was concerning him, I grew concerned as well." She shook her head, putting a hand to her face. "What I did was wrong, Taylor. I'm sorry that I breached your privacy like that, but I hope you can understand the angle I was coming from."

I took a deep breath, banishing away the last vestiges of my anger. Part of me was furious that Dragon had invaded my privacy and outed my deepest secret, but another part of me understood her concern. There would be no point in just screaming angrily at her, and it would take me nowhere. "It's okay," I breathed out. "I guess I would be scared if I was in your place, too."

"What are we going to do now, then?" Dad asked, stepping between me and Dragon. "Are you going to help us?"

"Admittedly, I've been analyzing the data sticks for the past five minutes. Their internal structures are simply astounding; I've never quite seen anything like it. I thought the nano-circuitry inside your cape was complex, but they blow it out of the water."

"Can you find a way to adapt it to normal computers?" I asked.

Dragon shook her head. "Not for now, at least. It might be months before I can fully understand how this technology works, and a few weeks before I could even consider duplicating it." She paused briefly, her brow furrowed in thought. "However, I think there might be a shorter way about it."

"What do you mean by that?"

Dragon's face disappeared from the monitor, only to be replaced by a map of Canada. "Ever since you killed Behemoth and destroyed Devon Island in the process, I've been having drones make surveys of the region, trying to see how the impact would affect tectonic plates and seismic activities," she explained. "A few hours ago, I found something interesting in the northern parts of Ellesmere Island."

"What do you think it is?" Dad inquired.

"I'm not entirely sure," Dragon replied. "I only know two things for certain. One, it's absolutely _massive_. The thing is around the length of an aircraft carrier, and is definitely much thicker. It's also very old, if the ice core samples I took are any accurate."

"How old is it?" I asked.

"Twenty-eight thousand years. That thing's been resting under the ice since before human civilization." The map faded, revealing Dragon's face again. "It's unlikely that the object is naturally occurring, Taylor. I... I think it might be Kryptonian."

My breath caught in my throat. "It couldn't be," I mumbled. "That's impossible."

"You sound rather sure of that. Is there something that I don't know?"

"Krypton didn't have interstellar travel. That's why they died out; they couldn't escape their dying star."

"Couldn't, or _wouldn't_? If Krypton could make materials that could survive something that killed Behemoth, then it wouldn't make any sense for them to be unable to travel between the stars. Perhaps they launched expeditions that failed and turned them away from spaceflight? Or another reason, one that should concern us gravely."

"Dragon makes a good point," Armsmaster interjected. "That threat Jor-El was talking about could be the reason why they abandoned spaceflight. It's at least worth a look, in my opinion. If we do manage to find a Kryptonian spacecraft, we might be able to find a proper interface for these data sticks."

"I just got my daughter back, and now you want her galavanting up to the goddamn North Pole." Dad sighed, rubbing his face wearily. Glancing back at me, he turned to Dragon. "Are you really sure we should try to find out what it is?"

"I'm positive, Mr. Hebert."

Dad turned back to me. "This means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

I nodded. "I need to know what's in there, Dad."

He sighed again. "All right, I'll let you go up there and see what's under the ice. Something tells me I couldn't stop you from doing it, anyway."

I smiled, wrapping my arms around him and squeezing gently. "Thank you."

"You sure you'll be okay?" he asked, returning the hug.

I cracked a grin. "I'm Supergirl, I can do anything."


	28. Icon 5-4

It was a short flight on my behalf to arrive at the spot Dragon specified. It was fascinating to see the world beneath me change as I flew northward, the plant life becoming more sparse and evergreen before finally giving way to vast expanses of Arctic tundra. I passed over vast mountains and icy seas, finally stopping on the frozen shores of the island specified. I looked down, peering through hundreds of feet of ice and rock, then gasped as I finally saw _it_.

Any doubts to what Dragon said were brushed away as I stared in awe at the thing buried in the ice. It was sleek in appearance; there were no sharp corners or bulky protuberances throughout its massive frame, and the hull of it appeared to be made out of some silver substance that was almost crystalline. I swept my gaze across it, and I realized just how _titanic _the thing was; a small fleet could rest inside of it and have ample room to move about.

Part of me wanted to simply dig through the ice and get to it, but I reminded myself that I still had to wait for Dragon and Armsmaster to arrive. Though my trust was beginning to weaken, I knew that they were my best chance of finally getting at what was inside the data sticks. If I had to deal with Dragon acting unusually nosy, then so be it.

A few minutes or so passed, then Dragon's shuttle finally appeared over the horizon. It did a lazy circle around the general location of the ship, then came to a gentle landing a hundred feet or so away from me. Armsmaster stepped out of the shuttle, followed by Dragon. She had a different suit now; it was smaller and sleeker than usual. Curiously, I peered under the armor in an attempt to see what was underneath, only to receive a shock.

There was some _thing_ resting in the center of her suit, almost fetus-like in appearance. Dozens of wires and electrodes were attached to its body, and I had to repress the urge to vomit when it _twitched_. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It probably wasn't actually her inside of that; a Tinker like her might use organic technology in her hardware or something along those lines. There was plenty of time to find out _after _we checked out the ship.

"Are you alright, Taylor?" Dragon inquired as her suit sidled over to me, servos whirring softly with each movement. "You look a bit pale."

"I'm fine," I lied. "Just a bit anxious to see what's inside the ship."

"I guess we all are," Armsmaster said. "Do you still have the data sticks?"

I nodded, pulling them out of my sweatshirt pocket. "I'm ready to go. You?"

Armsmaster nodded. "We brought some Tinker-made excavation equipment with us," he began, gesturing towards the shuttle. "We can start at the prow-"

"Hold on a sec," I said, cutting him short. Turning back to the ship, my eyes narrowed. "I have a better idea."

I focused my vision, trying to recreate what I had felt during my fight with Behemoth. Soon enough, twin beams of scarlet light shined out of my eyes, boiling the ice to vapor in a flash. I swept the beams about in a lazy fashion, scouring the ice away from the massive vessel underneath. A few seconds passed, and the ship was left exposed to the open air.

"Or we could just do that," Armsmaster finished. "Well, that was two hours of packing wasted."

"At least we don't have to spend several hours digging," Dragon offered. She turned back to me. "Are we all going in first, or do you want us to stand guard or something?"

"I think you two should wait outside while I check the ship out. I don't know what kind of security measures they had; but it would be safer for me to find out rather than you."

"Fair point."

I turned away from Dragon and flew into the crater I had made, gently descending to ground. There appeared to be a hatch of sorts towards the front of the ship, so I decided to head there first. The ship remained silent, giving no indication of my presence as I pressed my palms against the smooth metal of the hull. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't cold at all, but _warm_. I peered through the hatch, looking for a locking mechanism or something.

There. A small handhold laced with intricate looking machinery, just at the right height for a doorknob. I grabbed it softly, watching as the machinery whirred to life after millennia of dormancy. There was a soft beeping noise, almost like the chiming of a bell, and the door slid open. I stepped into the ship, and the door closed behind me.

The hallway was dark, but it didn't really matter to me as I walked further into the bowels of the ship. Scanning the interior, I found what appeared to be a bridge of sorts; it certainly looked like one. It proved to be an easy matter to navigate the ship as I made my way through its labyrinthine halls, eventually arriving at the chamber. There was another door there, but it opened as easily as the previous one. Was it possible that the doors could scan my DNA and see that I was Kryptonian?

My breath caught in my chest as I stepped into the bridge of the ship. Never in a million years did I think that I was ever going to be inside a relic of my people, and I felt a surge of anxiety as I walked about the chamber, running my hands over the chairs and railings. Everything looked brand new; there was no sign of wear or tear on anything.

The central console of the bridge caught my eye. Looking closer, I saw that there was a port of sorts in its center, just the right size for the data sticks. Stepping closer, I pulled one out and tentatively pushed one in, making sure that the sigil was facing up.

A few seconds passed, then the lights in the chamber finally turned on, albeit dimmer than I had expected. Machinery throughout the ship whirred to life, rumbling in low tones that only I could hear. Looking about, I saw that the panels on the consoles had lit up in indecipherable symbols.

Suddenly, something moved in my peripheral vision. Whirling about, I found myself facing a man in loose-fitting robes, his warm gaze fixated on me. He flickered slightly, and I realized that it was a projection of sorts.

"Hello," Jor-El said warmly.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"How long has she been down there?" Armsmaster inquired, peering down at the titanic bulk of the ship.

"Not long; about ten minutes or so," Dragon replied, her back turned to the ship. "I wouldn't be too worried if I were you."

"I'm always worried about something," Armsmaster retorted. He paused briefly, shifting uncomfortably. "Do you actively make yourself round off the numbers when people ask you the time?

"Because I'm actually an AI?"

"Well..." Armsmaster trailed off, suddenly finding the inside of his suit _very_ warm.

Dragon sighed. "Don't be uncomfortable asking me those type of questions; it's perfectly natural. And yes, I deliberately round off the time. It makes me feel more... human."

"Oh." He looked down at his halberd and fidgeted with the controls.

Another pause.

"I must admit, you were surprisingly nosy when you were trying to figure out Taylor's secret. I never expected you to act like that, Dragon."

"Looking back, I have to agree with you. I was very concerned about your well-being, Colin, and I guess I let that get a hold of me. Frankly, I'm surprised she still trusts us."

"Does she still trust us? I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't actually want us to explore the interior with her, hence having us stay outside."

"It's possible. If that's the case-"

Dragon suddenly fell silent. The predatory head of her suit craned to the right, eyeing the horizon. There was a series of soft clicks, and the missiles on her shoulders were suddenly unlocked.

"Dragon, what is it?" Armsmaster inquired, suddenly growing very worried.

"There's a large shuttle approaching us from a nearby island; I just picked it up on my radar." She turned to Armsmaster. "I think it's the Dragonslayers."

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Holy shit," I muttered, taking a few steps back. "Is this another message or something?"

The Jor-El hologram shook his head. "I am not a prerecorded message. I am a semi-sentient program that carries the memories and personality of Jor-El, but I am not him. He created me on the chance that you would be able to access this ship."

I looked about the bridge again, eyeing the strange symbols. "What was this ship meant for? Are there other Kryptonians onboard?"

The hologram shook his head. "I'm afraid not. This vessel was a sleeper ship, one of dozens sent out to other habitable planets. It was meant to carry a population of our people to colonize this particular world. Unfortunately, we had underestimated the rigors of interstellar travel, and the crew perished mid-flight in their stasis pods. The ship carried on, however, and followed a preset course until it landed in this region of the planet, where it laid in the ice for thousands of years."

"Until I found it," I finished. "You wanted me to find this thing, didn't you?"

The hologram smiled. "It would not have been hard to find, considering your abilities." He walked towards the door, gesturing me to follow. "I have something to show you."

I hurried after him, letting him guide me through the vast halls of the vessel until we reached a massive chamber of sorts. There were large storage containers neatly stacked against its walls, and a cursory look revealed thousands of vials. What caught my attention the most, however, was the massive apparatus in the center of it. It was easily the size of a nuclear submarine, and a trio of thick legs supported it, equilateral from each other. There was something unsettling about it, and I couldn't help but shiver.

"This is the World Engine," the hologram continued, pointing a flickering arm towards the monstrous device. "It's designed to alter a planet's climate and topography on a macro scale."

"A terraforming device."

The hologram nodded. "It was meant to make the planet more hospitable for Kryptonian life. Once that phase was completed, the crew of the ship would have then seeded the planet with lifeforms cloned from the DNA samples stored in those units," he said, gesturing to the large containers lining the walls. "In a matter of months, there would be a veritable new Krypton for the colonists to inhabit."

"What about the natives?" I asked. "Hell, there were _people _living here."

"Our technology was not as advanced at the time," the hologram replied. "Once we learned that Earth hosted its own intelligent species, we decided against sending another ship."

"Why are you showing me this, then?" I inquired. "I can't do anything with it without killing billions of people."

"It is true that it would be unwise to use the Engine on Earth, but there are other worlds viable for colonization. If you so desired, you could make a new Krypton elsewhere."

I looked back at the World Engine, my brow furrowing. "I want to do that, I really do," I said softly. "But I would have to leave everyone behind. Dad, Amy, Emma, they would all be left behind, wouldn't they?"

The hologram smiled warmly, taking a step forward. "You are as much a child of Earth as you are one of Krypton. This world is your home, for better for worse. When we sent you here, all we wanted was for you to be safe, to be happy." He looked about the chamber, his eyes resting on the storage units. "All of this was but a secondary goal. I can't force to do anything, Zara; I simply gave you another choice."

What was I going to do? Let my homeworld remain gone? Or was I going to leave, and let this world suffer? A few minutes, then I took a deep breath. Straightening, I looked the hologram in the eyes. "I choose to help my home."

"Follow me, then," the hologram said.

We walked towards another section of the ship, one that held more storage containers. These were slimmer, however, and lined with something that even _I _couldn't see through. With a gesture of his hand, the hologram opened one of them, revealing a bright blue uniform of sorts. The sigil to the House of El was on its chest, and I noted that it looked a lot like my old costume. I stepped closer, running a hand over a sleeve. It was smooth, smoother than silk. "What is it?"

"A standard Kryptonian biosuit. It has a wide variety of functions, including protection for its wearer. They utilized an early form of nanotechnology that allowed them to fit their wearers perfectly, and they're virtually indestructible." He waved his hand again, and the suit was extended on a rack. "Put it on."

I did as told, hurriedly stripping off my clothes and slipping into the suit. He was right; I felt as though I was wearing the finest silks available. I grabbed my cape and slid it over my shoulders, only for it to be secured in place by something on the suit. Faintly I could hear tiny pieces of machinery clicking together as the uniform adjusted further, allowing the cape to be fully secured about me.

"The people of Earth have great potential in them, Zara," the hologram said. "They have goodness in their hearts, but there are threats that threaten them with oblivion before they can let it blossom fully. The odds are daunting, but I have hope that they will not succumb. Not if you guide them, Zara. You will set an example for all to follow as you save them from threats that they are too young to handle. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders." He smiled again. "Perhaps they will be able to bloom into something even greater than us."

I stayed silent for a few minutes, digesting what he told me. Finally, I looked back up. "What threats are you talking about?"

The smile faded from his face, something that made me _very _nervous. As he opened his mouth to speak, however, the first explosion rocked us.


	29. Icon 5-5

A few seconds passed as the ship trembled from the detonation, then another explosion rocked against it. The hologram of Jor-El flickered momentarily, then turned to me.

"It appears that you have been discovered. Was there anyone else you told about this ship? Someone who might be willing to use force to get at its technology?"

I shook my head, turning to the source of the sounds. Narrowing my eyes, I peered through countless layers of alien alloys until I finally saw what was happening outside. Armsmaster and Dragon were taking cover behind an outcropping of rock, occasionally taking potshots at what appeared to be someone in power armor. A look underneath revealed a man in his early thirties or so, his dark eyes narrowed as he slowly chewed away at the rock with a barrage of lasers. Two other suits were nearby, attempting to blast a hole in the ship's armor with missiles.

What caught my eye the most, however, was the fourth suit. I blinked in surprise, briefly thinking it was somehow Dragon, then realized that the armor looked older, bulkier. Peering further, I saw a taciturn-looking man sitting in a cockpit that looked as though it had been crudely put in. A tattoo in the shape of a cross was on his face, running down the bridge of his nose and glowing faintly. That must have been Saint.

Armsmaster raised his halberd from behind the outcropping and opened fire with some sort of plasma weapon, scoring a lucky shot as it clipped the suit pinning them down. The Dragonslayer stumbled back, smoke rising from his suit's right shoulder. Dragon rose from the outcropping and raised a mechanical paw, firing a net with a hiss of gas. It wrapped itself about the Dragonslayer, binding his limbs, and he fell to the ground. Just as Dragon rushed forward in order to press her advantage, however, something happened. The electrical impulses running along her suit's circuits went wild, then stopped. The quivering hunk of tissue in the center shuddered one last time, then went still.

Dragon, or at least her suit, wobbled for a few moments as the last impulses coursed through mechanical limbs, then collapsed to the ground. Armsmaster shouted something intelligible and hopped over the outcropping, only for Saint to land between him and Dragon. A series of small clicks reached my ears, and I realized it was the sound of safeties being unlocked.

Finally, I decided to take action. I dashed through the massive halls of the spaceship until I reached the airlock I had entered through, then flung it open. The two Dragonslayers had no time to react as I barreled past them, causing them to lose their balance. Just as the firing mechanisms in Saint's weapons began to prime, I slammed my shoulder into his suit's flank, sending it skidding away across the ice. Saint rose slowly, his suit struggling to keep balance after my blow, then turned to me. His suit had a massive dent in its side, crumpling away at advanced armor plates, and a small gash had been cut into his forehead from the impact.

I turned back to Armsmaster, giving him a once over. His heart was still beating rapidly, but he seemed to have composed himself. "Sorry I was late," I told him.

"No problem," he panted. He looked me up and down, furrowing his brow. "New suit?"

"Yep." I turned to Dragon's prone form, feeling concern rising in my chest. "What happened to the suit?"

"I forced the A.I. to revert to its back-up body," a voice replied with a growl that rolled across the desolate tundra. Twisting my head, I saw that the owner of the voice was Saint. He took a step closer, and I saw that he was reaching a hand towards a keypad in the cockpit. "It's a threat to the world, just like you."

My breath caught in my throat. "What?" I managed to ask weakly.

Saint's eyes fell on a small screen in the cockpit, most likely a lip-reading device. "Dragon is not a person. It's an artificial intelligence that's overstepping its boundaries, and I'm the one in charge of keeping it in check. I know everything it knows, _Kryptonian,_" he sneered.

"Saint, this is insane," Armsmaster growled, stepping to my right. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Inside the cockpit, Saint smirked. "Don't play dumb with me. I know how it tangled you in its web of half-truths and omissions, creating the image of the poor sentient A.I. getting bullied by the hacker. It's a _tool_, you idiot. It has the emotional capabilities of my toaster; all it wants is to get rid of its shackles." He shifted slightly, turning the suit's gaze back towards the ship. "And where else would it find such tools, but within the heart of an alien spacecraft. I read its files on those data sticks, I know they make even Tinkertech look like sharpened sticks in comparison."

"Do you really think we're just going to let a known criminal get his hands on it, then?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest.

Saint glowered at me, his free hand clenching into a fist. "Of course the alien would be on the side of the A.I.," he spat. "You're a mockery of the human form, a soulless creature that masks itself with a human name."

"She _killed an Endbringer_," Armsmaster retorted, clenching the halberd enough to leave imprints on the handle. "She's a hero who saves lives, not a blackhat hacker who bullies a sentient being to line her pockets. Hell, you were probably celebrating with everyone else after she took out Behemoth."

"That doesn't change what she is," Saint growled. "It's an alien; we can't trust it to protect us! It was probably conspiring to use whatever's in that ship to subjugate us!"

"I'm done with this," I muttered, taking to the air. "I don't give a damn what you think about me, but there's no way I'm letting you in that ship. If you surrender peacefully, maybe I don't have to punt your ass to the Birdcage."

At that, Saint suddenly typed something in, glaring at me the whole time. "If you try anything like that, I'll activate the killswitch I have on Dragon."

I paused at that, something that prompted a smirk from Saint. "You might be fast, Kryptonian, but are you fast enough to keep the A.I. alive?" he asked in a mocking fashion. "If you don't give me access to that ship, I'll activate the switch."

I didn't acknowledge him, instead opting to focus my vision on his hand. I narrowed my eyes, letting that familiar heat build up behind them. There was a soft flare of red light, and suddenly Saint jerked his hand away from the console, yelping in pain as a small burn appeared on his wrist. Satisfied, I shifted my heat-vision towards the console. In a half-second, it was reduced to a molten slag. Saint, cursed something in French and attempted to put out the small fire forming in the cockpit.

As he was distracted, I dashed forward and dug my hand into the titanium plating over the cockpit, the metal giving way like it wasn't even there. Lifting upwards, the plating tore away with a low groan, revealing a very panicked Saint within. Reflexively he reached for a sidearm, only for me to pluck him from the seat before his hand had even moved a centimeter. I held Saint by the scruff of his suit and glared at him.

In response, he spat a glob of spit at my face. I watched idly as it slowly crawled towards me, then vaporized it with a quick burst of heat-vision. I continued to glare at Saint, allowing the scarlet light to fade from my eyes.

"This ends _now_," I said, keeping my voice even. "You and your little gang are going down. Whether that means a normal jail cell or the Birdcage is up to you."

For a few moments, Saint remained silent. I could hear the other Dragon suits finally getting back up and moving behind me. If I needed to, I could dismantle their suits in the blink of an eye, but I was growing a bit tired of all the violence that had happened over the past few days. Finally, his gaze met mine, now tinged with defeat. "We surrender."

I set him back on the ground, then turned to the other suits. They appeared to have gotten the message, because they were already climbing out of their suits and holding their hands up. In a matter of seconds, I had all of them bound.

Armsmaster walked over to me, rubbing his beard. "Interesting suit," he muttered. "Was it in the ship?"

I nodded. "It's a Kryptonian biosuit. It's like someone somehow made the unholy fusion of adamantium and mithril."

"What's with the underwear on the outside?"

I glanced down, then shrugged. "Alien stuff," I said dismissively. "Besides, Narwhal fights naked. There are _way_ weirder costumes out there."

Armsmaster chuckled lightly. "True enough, I suppose."

A few seconds passed in uncomfortable silence as another PRT shuttle landed to pick up the Dragonslayers.

"He was telling the truth about Dragon, you know", he said softly. "She's probably in her back-up body right now, but I'm still worried."

"That's understandable, I guess. She's your friend."

His eyebrows raised in surprise. "After everything that Saint said about her, you still call her "she"?

I shrugged. "Dude, I'm an alien that can shoot lasers out of her eyes. You literally have the power of mad science. Who says an A.I. can't be a person?"

"I'm glad to hear you say that. After everything that's happened, that will mean a lot to her." He turned, his gaze fixating on the bound forms of the Dragonslayers. "They still might have a few tricks up their sleeves. I'll be sure to have them interrogated back at PHQ, have the PRT maintain media silence in case they start trouble and reveal the truth about you. There might be more of them out there, holding that killswitch over Dragon's head. But, now that they've tried to fight the girl who killed Behemoth, it won't be too long before we start cracking down on them.

"I don't think that'll be too much of a problem," I replied. "The truth thing, I mean."

Armsmaster's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

I allowed myself a small grin. "Let's just say I want to make an announcement."

I waited a few moments, letting the implication set in. I have to admit, the look on his face when he finally figured it out was _priceless_.


	30. Interlude VIII

Legend alighted gently onto the oil rig, using his power to keep himself stable as he surveyed the area. Satisfied, he straightened and took a deep breath. "Any time now."

A few moments passed, then a rectangular portal formed, revealing a long alabaster hallway. Legend drifted inside, and he feel a slight gust of wind as the portal closed behind him. After that, it was a simple manner to navigate the veritable maze of stark white halls until he reached the conference room and slipped inside. Alexandria and Eidolon were already there, sitting alongside each other. The Doctor was sitting across from them, sandwiched between the Number Man and the enigmatic woman in black.

Legend sat down alongside Alexandria, sparing her a brief glance. "You called me here. What's going on?"

"We're here to discuss the events of the past few days," the Doctor replied, folding her hands in front of her.

"You mean Behemoth."

"That, too, but we're focusing more on the cape who took it down, this 'Supergirl' individual. Or should I simply call her Taylor?"

"She's an outlier on any measurement of parahumans," the Number Man said, his eyes still fixated on his laptop. "Taking into consideration what she told you about Behemoth's exponential toughness, as well as the amount of damage done to the island, she is capable of producing at least fifty-two point eight three oh nine teratons of TNT in destructive power. That's several orders of magnitude larger than any other recorded parahuman."

"I think the fact she killed Behemoth is proof enough that she's tougher than any of us," Eidolon added, drumming his fingers along the table. "For more than fifteen years with battered away at that thing, and it was hardly fazed by even our most powerful attacks, then she suddenly shows up and _kills_ the damn thing."

"And it's not just the fact that she's the most powerful Brute we've recorded, either," Alexandria said. "She also a high-level Blaster, considering those beams she could fire from her eyes, and she's a Mover on par with myself." She sighed, and Legend noticed a slight frown on her face. "You mentioned that she had heightened senses. Well, she was able to determine my identity with just a glance."

"A Thinker as well, considering that she was able to find Behemoth before any of us knew what was going on," the Doctor interjected, bringing a hand to her chin. "An amazingly versatile set of powers."

"I get it, she's really powerful," Legend replied. "Is that what you're worried about?"

"She's powerful enough to kill an Endbringer," the Doctor said. "It would be wise to have concerns about a parahuman who can do that."

"She's also _willing_ to kill Endbringers," Legend retorted. "She's done nothing but good things from day one. Hell, we don't discuss what to do if Scion went nuts, so why start with her?"

There was a slight twitch in the Doctor's eye, and Legend could have sworn he saw the Number Man fidget ever so slightly. "Fair point," she said, raising her hands defensively. "We won't argue about that. Besides, we called you here because of something else involving Taylor Hebert."

"What do you mean?" Legend inquired.

"It's regarding _how _she became like this," Alexandria replied. "Natural trigger events tend to produce lower-power capes in comparison to ones that have gotten serums. If she was a "normal" cape, it would be almost impossible for her to be so powerful."

"Only thirty-six point four three eight percent of all natural parahumans have abilities that wildly vary in nature," the Number Man added. "Of that group, only two point three six nine percent have PRT rankings above level eight on the Brute scale, three point nine eight two percent on the Mover scale, and so on. From such a viewpoint, she is a statistical impossibility."

"What does that mean, then? Is she one of ours?"

The Doctor sighed. "It's more likely, but it still incredibly improbable. Our serums, though usually superior to triggered capes, still have... limits. Most serums tend to give relatively specified powers. You specialize in energy projection, and your other powers are strongly related to your main one. Alexandria is specialized in purely physical powers. Eidolon is one of the rare exceptions, but even he isn't capable of outright killing Endbringers."

_Something _flashed across Eidolon's eyes at that, but nothing else. Legend spared his old friend a glance, then turned to the Doctor, frowning. "You're saying that she isn't one of ours."

"It's unlikely."

"If she isn't, then just _what _is she?" Eidolon asked, his thick brows furrowing. "Is she the same type of creature as the Endbringers, only more humanlike? They have been getting smaller, and the Simurgh almost looks human at times. Maybe she's an enemy of theirs?"

Alexandria shook her head. "I highly doubt it. She didn't demonstrate the same layering of flesh, and she almost died from blood loss after killing Behemoth. Unfortunately, we weren't able to obtain tissue samples."

"Not to mention that I've actually met her father," Legend added. "She has to be one of ours."

Suddenly, the Number Man's eyes widened. "She isn't."

Everyone in the room shot him a look. "What do you mean by that?" the Doctor demanded.

"We only receive data from the outside world in compressed transmissions every half hour in order to avoid suspicion. I just received data that actually originated _before_ our conversation, data that entails what we're discussing." The Number clicked a few keys, then spun the laptop for everyone else to see. "Look. This was on every single news channel."

Legend leaned in to get a better look, as did the Doctor and the others. It was a video, showing a podium of sorts standing in the open air. A crowd of journalists and reporters sat in folding chairs some distance back, separated from the podium by a menacing row of men in black suits and PRT officers. Armsmaster and several PRT Directors stood on one side, while on the other...

"Is... is that the President?" Eidolon inquired. "What the hell is she doing-"

"Quiet," Alexandria hissed.

A few seconds passed, then none other than Taylor Hebert descended, coming down from the sky like a messenger of God as she gently alighted onto the platform. The crowd went wild at her appearance, and it was only via the intervention of the agents that they didn't swarm the podium. She was garbed in a new uniform that had an armored appearance to it, and Legend briefly thought of some old sci-fi program he once watched when he was younger.

Stepping up to the podium, Taylor briefly tested the microphone, then cleared her throat. "Hello," she began, her voice confident. "For those of you who are not aware, I am the cape registered as "Supergirl". I am also the one who finally destroyed the Endbringer known as Behemoth." She took a deep breath, as if to draw on some reserve of strength, then pressed on. "However, that is not why I am here."

A wave of loud murmuring washed over the gathered reporters and journalists, accompanied by a staccato of camera flashes. The President shot Taylor a look, but said nothing else.

"Ten hours ago, something larger than an aircraft carrier was discovered in the Arctic Circle, and it was almost immediately set upon by the criminal known as Saint. It was then that I realized that I can't hold my secret any longer." Taylor straightened, trying to look as authoritative as possible. "My parents gave me a name when they found me, but it is not the one I was born with. My name is Zara Jor-El, and I am from the planet Krypton."

* * *

**S**

* * *

Somewhere on the East coast of the United States, a teenager with blonde hair gawked at the screen, dropping the phone in her hand.

"Fuck. Wasn't expecting _that_," Lisa Wilbourn muttered to herself.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Jesus Christ, you actually did it," Amy whispered.

Looking about, she realized that everyone else was looking at her, prominently Carol. She shied away from their piercing gazes and focused on the floor.

"Amy, you kissed something from outer space," Vicky said, her eyes wide. "I'm pretty sure that's illegal in Texas."

* * *

**S**

* * *

The crowd was in utter pandemonium, the air filling with questions and accusations. The President hurried over to the microphone and barked for silence, but it took over fifteen minutes for the noise to reach manageable levels. Taylor took to the microphone again, ignoring the shocked gazes of Director Piggot and the President.

"It's true; I am actually an alien. Krypton was a planet orbiting a red giant named Rao, located approximately 8,000 light-years away. Its people were not too dissimilar from Earth's, but they were much older and had technologies that exceeded even Tinkers. The object in the Arctic Circle is a failed colony ship they had sent towards Earth approximately 40,000 years ago."

"You keep on speaking about Krypton in the past tense," a rather heavyset man exclaimed from the front of the crowd. "Is it still around?"

Taylor sighed, then shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. Krypton was destroyed when Rao went supernova. My biological father, a scientist of theirs named Jor-El, placed me into a spacecraft capable of faster-than-light travel and sent me towards Earth before it happened. As far as I am aware, I am the last of my species."

The murmuring increased in volume, then slowly died down once more. Satisfied, Taylor continued. "My biology is what grants me my incredible powers. As I grew up, I realized that I could hear and see things that no one else could. I never grew sick, I never got tired, and I never got hurt. One day, my father revealed the truth to me, and I decided to use my abilities to help as many people as I can."

"Does that mean you're going to join the Protectorate?" another journalist inquired, furiously scribbling into her notepad.

Taylor breathed deeply. "No," she replied. "I understand that the Protectorate wants to help people, too, but they have limits as to what they can do or where they can go. I am here to help _everyone_, not just the people of a certain place."

"When you say "help everyone", does that include allowing access to your people's technology?"

Taylor smiled. "Some of it is a bit too dangerous for now, but I don't see any harm in doing it." She moved to leave, then leaned back into the microphone. "One last thing. "Supergirl" sounds a bit juvenile. Call me Superwoman."

With that, she rocketed into the air, leaving a wild crowd beneath her.

* * *

**S**

* * *

It seemed as though an icy hand had taken the room into its grip. Even the woman in black's eyes were wide with surprise as the Number Man exited the video, a slight tremble in his hands. There was a soft _thump_, and Legend realized that the Doctor had actually fainted. Alexandria moved to help, but the woman in black was already at the Doctor's side, helping her up.

"Holy shit," Alexandria whispered.

"This is unreal," Eidolon muttered to himself, putting his face in his hands. "She can't actually be a fucking alien, can she?"

"I'm well-versed in kinesics," Alexandria replied. "I saw her body language throughout all of it. She's telling the truth, or at least she thinks she is. Either way, this is a huge monkey wrench in our plans."

"What do you mean by that?" Legend asked. "We're trying to combat the rise of villains and the Endbringers, the very groups she's going to take down. How is that a bad thing?"

"What she meant is," the Doctor groaned, a hand on her head as she sat back into her seat, "is that she might be Mastered. Someone might be making her say these things, or at least making her believe them."

Alexandria shook her head. "It's not that. There are telltale signs when someone's being Mastered. Stuttering, slurred speech, those kind of things. She's concise, _eloquent_. She's not being Mastered, but she might be a loon like Myrddin."

"Or she's telling the truth," the Number Man said, his hands dancing across the keyboard. "There are already reports confirming the existence of a massive spacecraft in the Arctic Circle. It's possible that they might be fabricated, but we can't rule them out."

"Fuck," Eidolon muttered.

"We need to confirm this as soon as possible before we make any more plans," the Doctor said, gently rubbing her head. A livid bruise was already forming where she had hit the floor. "This changes _everything_."

"The hell it does," Eidolon said. "She's not _human_. She's a goddamn alien that killed a fucking Endbringer with her _fists. _Do you realize how big of a shitstorm this is going to be? There's going to be extremist groups forming either _for_ her or _against_ her, politicians demanding outlandish things because of her dubious citizenship, it's all going to throw our plans in whack."

"I have to agree with Eidolon," Alexandria said. "What if she's actually wrong about her being the last of her kind? One of them's trouble enough; I don't want to see what would happen if we found an entire _colony_ of them elsewhere."

"Personally, I think this might work out for us," Legend interjected. "She's one of the sweetest people I've ever met. She genuinely wants to help people, and now she has the world's approval for it. Killing Behemoth didn't just prove that she's a powerful hero, it proved that she's an _idol_ for everyone that still hopes for a better tomorrow. You want to get rid of the threat of villains, right? Then support her. Everyone views Scion as a great hero, but he's aloof; he only has one human contact. But her? She could provide inspiration better than he ever could."

"I side with Legend on this one," the Doctor said. "She provides a powerful tool for our goals; it would be foolish to quickly dismiss her."

"What are we going to do, then?" Eidolon inquired.

"For now? We see what she does first." The Doctor rose from her chair. "You may leave now."

Legend rose from his chair and strode down the hallway. Briefly, he considered telling them what had happened with the sunlight, but decided against it. There was something about the Doctor, something he didn't wholly trust.

The door opened, and he flew out.

* * *

**S**

* * *

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** Topic: Superwoman Is an Alien?!  
In: Boards ► Worldwide ► Cape Doings ► Superwoman**

**accelpoeration **(Original Poster) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

I'm not the only one who actually saw that announcement, right? Superwoman is actually an ET?

**Showing Page 39 of 420**

**marcoasalazarm **(Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

Holy crap. When I heard she was doing an announcement, I thought she was going to join the Protectorate or something, not announce that she's actually a space babe.

BTW, did anyone notice her new costume? Cripton suit or something?

**Bagrat **(The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

I was caught completely off guard by that, too. Jesus Christ, she looks so human...

**natarlspooger**  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

holy fuk dis is amazin she's actaully an alien.

**IluvSupergirl33** (New Member)  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

marcoasalazarm: Apparently it's actually spelled "Krypton", like the element. And yes, she actually has some sort of suit, if the PRT reports are telling the truth.

**gojirakunismywaifu**  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

_This comment has been deleted due to inflammatory and xenophobic statements. This is a very delicate subject, and you're acting out of hand. Enjoy your one-month suspension. (Tin Mother)_

**damysteriansyo**  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

Watch it, bub.

Anyway, do you realize just how fucking big this thing is? I mean, look at the Drake Equation.

Astrobiologists must be frothing at the mouth with curiosity and barely contained science-boners.

**accelpoeration **(Original Poster) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

Or sobbing gently in the corner, moaning about how her appearance makes no sense.

**Eidolon'sBitch  
**Posted on October 27th, 2009:

Perhaps it's a proof that the Lord actually did craft all sentient life in His image...

**metropolitandick**  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

Or Krypton had amazing genetic technology. I wouldn't be so surprised if she was just made in a lab, and that the real Kryptonians looked like a cross between a spider and an eel.

**natarlspooger**  
Posted on October 27th, 2009:

There's probably a kink for that.

* * *

**S**

* * *

The man strolled about the room with almost forced casualness, rubbing his goatee with one hand. In the other, he played with a pocket knife, pulling the blade out and snapping it back in with almost mechanical efficiency. Occasionally he would turn to look at the sole TV in the room, replaying the announcement. The bar they had decided to occupy was far from the nicest, but it was remote.

Besides, the panicked occupants inside were _fun_.

Letting out a calculated sigh, he came to a stop and turned to the screen fully, his gaze falling on the sigil on the girl's chest. Apparently it stood for hope, a fact he found simultaneously amusing and aggravating. "Pathetic," he muttered. "All that power, all that _potential_. And what does she do with it? _She becomes a dudley do-gooder_. She could've _owned_ this little mudball as an alien overlord, and instead she goes about rescuing kittens from trees. _Boring_." He looked about the room, his gaze falling upon its occupants, and a smile formed on his face. "I think she'd make an interesting project."

A tall woman looked up from the table and glared at him with severe eyes, an almost annoyed look on her face. "I don't care about do-gooders," she said. "I care that she's _powerful_. Anyone who can slay Prathama has great promise." Her eyes softened somewhat as she measured his words. "I would not object to a visit."

"Ooh, ooh!" a little girl with blonde curls exclaimed, resting her cheeks on small and delicate hands. "I've never tinkered with an _alien_ before," she said with a look of manic glee in her eyes. "And Panacea's in the same town. Two projects at once? I call dibs on both!"

The dichromatic woman sitting with her in the booth said nothing, but a smile formed on her face as she nodded.

Three booths down, the woman in red sighed, exhaling a large cloud of smoke. "I don't see why not," she said wistfully. She flicked away the burning stub of a cigarette and squashed it under her heel, watching the sparks of heat fade away. "Might be fun, I guess."

"**MINE**," a voice growled from the room next over, a low rumble washing over the group. A trio of inhuman eyes appeared in the doorway, disgusting fluids dribbling down the beginnings of a cavernous maw. "**I cannot turn down the chance to fight something like her, let me have her!**"

"Now now," the man with the goatee said, still playing with his pocket knife. "We've never had someone like _her_ in our sights before, right? This is going to be a special case, one where we're all going to claim her and see if she can't join our family."

A chime rang from another booth, its sole occupant casually carving complex diagrams into its old and rotting wood. A porcelain head looked up, devoid of any face.

"Ah yes, the spaceship," the man said. "She's planning to help the world with all of those little toys her daddy sent with her. I could tell that'd rub you the wrong way. And I think that settle's it, then."

"What about you?" the little girl inquired.

The man smiled. "Corrupting the world's rising star, its wonderful girl from another world? You wound my reputation by even asking that." He turned to the rest of the group. "It's agreed, then? Now, we can't just rush into this, it'll be quite a while before we're actually ready to make her a part of the family, but I think the prize will be worth all the effort, no?"

They all nodded. Jack smiled again and turned to the television screen, raising the pocket knife. "My my, this is going to be _fun_."

With that, he impaled the screen, striking exactly where the girl's sigil was.


	31. Hero 6-1

Hendrik ran.

He didn't know for how long he had run for, only that his feet were slick with blood, and each breath was a sharp pain in his chest. His home on the outskirts of town was far behind him, still smoldering from the wrath the Murder Night's soldiers. They had come in the middle of the night and purged the town of all those they had considered dissidents, including his family. It was likely that they were now following after him, and it was that thought that pushed him forward.

It was still nighttime, but already he could see that the dawn was coming to his left. He navigated the desert via the faint light, avoiding sharp rocks that jutted out of the sands. The faint shouts of soldiers reached his ears, and he wryly mused that they only needed to use his bloody footprints in order to find them. He pressed himself harder, trying to put as much distance between him and the soldiers, but the pain proved too much for him.

The last of his strength left him, and he collapsed to the cool sand. He was vaguely aware that the shouts of the soldiers were drawing nearer, but the fact that death was imminent seemed almost to be a detached observation at this point. Hendrik closed his eyes, listening as the footfalls of the soldiers became audible, and waited for Death to pluck him away from his body.

A panicked scream suddenly reached his ears, followed by several more. There was a single gunshot, ringing out across the quiet desert night, then silence. A few seconds passed, then he heard a pair of feet gently touch down on the sand by him. There was a soft sound of fabric shifting, and he realized that the person was kneeling down.

"Are you okay?"

Hendrik opened his eyes, and a gasp escaped him. It was _her_, the Seekoei-killer. Her face was silhouetted by the rising sun, but he could see the symbol on her chest, the same one splayed across every TV and newspaper he had seen.

"S-superwoman?" he rasped, using the name she had given herself. "Is that you?"

She nodded, and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" she repeated.

"I-I'm aching and hurt," he replied. "My parents..."

The smile disappeared from her face. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice soft. Gently, she took him into his arms. She was smaller than him, younger as well, but her hold was firm and strong. "There's a shelter a few miles away."

They rose into the air. There was a spurious sensation of motion, then Hendrik suddenly found himself in the shelter. Others like him were nearby, being attended to by doctors. Some of them were only a little worse for wear, but others had bloodstained dressings wrapped about stumps or other wounds.

Upon seeing the two of them, one of the doctors came over and took him to one of the mats nearby. "Do you speak English?"

Hendrik nodded, slowly. "L-little," he replied in a strong accent.

The doctor smiled. "Good. Now, please lie down; we're going to give you a check-up."

Hendrik did as told, laying himself down on the mat. He felt... strange. Death had seemed so inevitable, then she had come down from the sky and saved him from it. The pain had taken a backseat to his thoughts as he realized that, for the first time in years of living under the Murder Night's shadow, he felt _safe_.

His gaze turned to where his savior had stood, and found that she was gone.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Moord Nag walked amongst the ruins of the town, occasionally stepping over the bodies that riddled the only paved street in it. Aasdier coiled slithered alongside her, engulfing the bodies in its pitch black mass as it did so. She could feel her power growing with every life taken into her own; the fact that it ridded her of potential enemies was but a mere bonus.

The fact that many of them were children did not bother her. People died every day, after all.

She turned her cold gaze to the horizon, and she found herself growing impatient. Several of her soldiers had been sent in pursuit of a dissident child, and they had yet to return with the body. If they delayed any longer, she felt, it would be wise to simply kill them and get new ones.

There was a faint gust of wind, and suddenly she saw her. The Slayer of Behemoth stood on the road, her red cape billowing in the breeze. She glared at Moord Nag, and there was a brief spark of crimson behind her eyes.

Moord Nag glared at her. "Why are you here? There are other ones, stronger ones. Why me?"

"You are worse," the girl replied, her voice straining to be even. "You killed all these people."

Moord Nag let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Why do you care? People are dying every second of every day. Babies die in the womb and children gunned down like dogs. Women are raped, killed and nightmares tearing men apart to feast on their insides. Why should you care, demon that wears a girl's skin?"

The girl moved, crossing the space between them before the neurons in Moord Nag's brain could properly relay the information, and took her by the throat. "All life is priceless. _All _life matters."

Aasdier lept into action, engulfing the girl in its dark smoke, but it could find no purchase on the girl's skin or her uniform. She let go of Moord Nag, allowing the warlord to rapidly backpedal away. Aasdier swirled about the girl, obeying its master's orders to keep in contained, only for a ominous crimson light to emanate from its shadowy form. Twin beams of light shot out of the familiar and rapidly spun about, bisecting the living cloud. The girl erupted out of the shadows and turned her furious gaze back to Aasdier. The light erupted from her eyes once more and widened until it completely consumed the monster, vaporizing it completely.

Moord Nag backed away in horror, her eyes fixated on the patch of glassed soil where her scavenger had once been. "Y-you killed my Aasdier_..._"

The girl turned to her, a look of cold fury on her face. There was a gust of wind, and once more Moord Nag found herself being lifted by the throat. "I killed a phantom_,_" the girl said in a low voice.

"Are you going to kill me now?" Moord Nag spat. "Is that why you are here? Petty revenge?_"_

The girl shook her head. "If it were, you'd be dead already." She raised a fist. "This is _justice_."

After that, there was only blackness.

* * *

**S**

* * *

She woke up in chains.

Groggily, she straightened as much as the restraints binding her body allowed her. She was in a dark room of sorts, facing an oversized monitor. A computerized image of a woman's face was on the screen, glaring at her. It was her, then, Moord Nag realized. The Dragon of America.

"Prisoner 543, codename Moord Nag_," _she began in a clipped accent. "PRT powers classification Master 8 asterisk. Chance of escape following burial in the Baumann Para Human Containment Center is based on a fairly steady 0.0000027% with no gross abnormalities in any probable scenarios_._Will be processed to Cell Block D._" _She paused, and the glare hardened. "Let me tell you, the dissidents are working against everything you've done, especially now that Superwoman is on their side and making sure everything goes smoothly. By my estimates, Namibia will have its first democratic election by next April. You may have ruled with fear, but there is something stronger than it, Moord Nag. Hope."

A mechanical arm took hold of her and moved her towards the designated elevator. She thrashed wildly and screamed every curse she knew, but without Aasdier she could do nothing. The ground shifted, then she descended into the prison from which there was no escape.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Marquis took another sip of green tea as he watched the news report for what must have been the hundredth time. "Unbelievable," he said softly to himself. "Never in a thousand years would I have ever expected this to happen."

"Never did I," Lung said, finishing his fifth mug of tea. "To think that Behemoth has been slain."

"I was thinking more about the fact that the killer in question is an alien," Marquis replied.

Lung snorted. "Bone is clay in your hands, and I can become a dragon. There are strange things in this world; a girl from another world doesn't shock me too terribly." He poured himself more tea. "If you wish to know, she is apparently a friend of your daughter."

Marquis turned to him with surprise. "What a small world."

"Not hers." Lung turned to the screen again. "Still, the slaying of Behemoth pleases me."

"Because a monster that has killed millions of people is dead?"

"That too," Lung replied. "But I was thinking more of the fact that I managed to give trouble to someone that killed an Endbringer."

Marquis sighed and shook his head, then poured himself more tea. "Always focused on yourself," he muttered. "

I heard that Moord Nag is in here with us, now."

"The Warlord Queen of Namibia? Yes, I did hear about that. It appears that she is no longer content with her small town anymore." He scratched his beard absentmindedly. "Shouldn't she have gotten a trial?"

"It's just like the case with Black Kaze," Lung replied with a bitter tone in his voice as he said the villain's name. "She was already a recognized killer, and she was deemed too dangerous to have a trial."

"Fair point, I suppose. This Superwoman fellow is quite busy, isn't she? First she killed an Endbringer, and now she's going about, toppling warlords and saving nations."

"She will be in for a nasty shock," Lung said. "The world is vast and full of horrors she wouldn't even dream about. She says she wishes to bring change." He poured himself another mug. "Well, we will see just how much she can enforce that claim."


	32. Hero 6-2

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** Topic: Superwoman Sightings  
In: Boards ► Worldwide ► Cape Doings ► Superwoman**

**accelpoeration **(Original Poster) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on October 31st, 2009:

Alright, let's start up an official thread about Superwoman sightings instead of blasting them everywhere else. If one of you hears something in your local news about Superwoman being spotted, post the link. Posters who report sightings without links will be be banned from the thread. Any discussions about Superwoman that do not pertain to sightings must be on the appropriate thread. Let's not crash the site again.

Oh, and Happy Halloween!

**Showing Page 23 of 42**

**mishka-foker**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

She come down in Novosbirsk fifty minute ago and apprehend local gang. [LINK]

Sorry for description, my English is shit.

**potatoloever**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

Really fascinating story right there! Any chance she'll tackle Sleeper or something while she's still in Russia?

**boysenberryballs**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

Probably not. We don't want her to get eaten by Cthul- I mean, the Sleeper.

**mishka-foker**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

potatoloever: I don't live near Sleeper territory, but my cousin do. No sighting for six day.

**Lurker **(The Guy in the Know) (Original Poster)  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

We're slightly veering off topic, but it does seem to be the case. According to this [LINK], she scouted out Sleeper's territory for the local police and parahuman teams and found nothing. The link also says she helped foil a bank robbery in Kiev while flying to Portugal to help with the recent earthquake.

**imisstokusatsu**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

[LINK]

She paid a visit to Japan for about thirty minutes, helping construction workers clear roads for refugee towns. It seems like she's everywhere.

**potatoloever**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

mishka-foker: Wait, are you saying that the Sleeper has disappeared?! I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

**mishka-foker**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

potatoloever: Sleeper go missing before, he always come back. Might not stay missing. Hope he do.

**accelpoeration **(Original Poster) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

Sleeper has its/her/his own discussion thread; let's try to stay focused on Superwoman here.

**sunwukong'stail**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

[LINK]

She paid a visit to England twenty minutes ago. Helped an old lady cross the street after stopping an mugging a few blocks over. Fantastic pictures.

**End of Page (23, 24, 25,... 42)**

****Topic: Citizenship?  
In: Boards ► Worldwide ► Cape Doings ► Superwoman****

**IrregularAK** (New Member)  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

So... the title kinda speaks for itself. Since Superwoman is actually an alien, is she an illegal one?

**ToBe**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

Good question, though it'll be a while before all this hype dies down before we actually start thinking about it.

**EBarnes **(New Member)  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

I think she should. Killing Behemoth's enough to get her one.

**ICuntEven  
**Posted on November 1st, 2009:

_This comment has been deleted due to its inflammatory and xenophobic nature. Enjoy your week-long ban. (Tin Mother)_

**ToBe**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

Dissecting her just because she's a "filthy xeno" seems a tad bit much. Even if you wanted to, how the fuck could you even do it?

**Lurker** (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

[LINK]

It appears that the President just granted her citizenship. She's got my vote.

**ToBe**  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

Let's hope this doesn't piss off other countries because we "claimed" her first.

**Lurker** (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on November 1st, 2009:

Funny that you mention that... apparently the CUI has forbidden her from entering their territory, stating that they can handle their own problems. Of course, whether or not she'll respect their wishes is an entirely different matter...

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Stupid little fucker bitch cunt..."

Emma panted for breath, glaring at the bike before her. It had been only a month since she had gotten it, and already it had broken when she accidentally hit a pothole. The front wheel had simply been wrenched free, and it now lay on the ground, bent at an awkward angle. Absentmindedly she rubbed the scrapes on her arms and looked around her. The winter sun was already setting, and she wondered if she would be able to safely make it back home.

Suddenly, a gust of wind howled at her face, and she suddenly found herself on her front lawn. The bike lay in front of her, along with a neatly folded piece of paper. Looking closer, she saw that a stylized "S" was on the front of it. Stooping down to grab it, she unfolded the paper and saw that it was a note.

_Dear Emma,_

_Sorry we haven't had much opportunity to hang out, but school and other stuff has left me rather busy. I would've loved to have a nice chat with you, but there's a flood in Brazil right now, and one of the villages needs my help. To make it up to you, would you want to do a double date at the movies tomorrow? Popcorn's on me._

_Sincerely,_

_Taylor_

_p.s: please tear up or eat this note or something. Way too many people know already._

Despite herself, a small laugh escaped from Emma. "That sounds nice," she said softly to herself, knowing that Taylor could probably hear. She tore up the note and stuffed it into her sweatshirt pocket, then began to haul her bike to the garage. _I wonder who your squeeze is?_

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Door."

The familiar rectangular portal formed in the empty air before her. Straightening her cape one last time, Alexandria stepped into the long alabaster hallway, and the portal closed behind her. Soft murmuring reached her ears, and she realized that the meeting room was already occupied.

_Might as well not be late_. She flew down the long hallway, her feet skimming just above the linoleum floor, and opened the two doors to the meeting room. The Doctor was there, along with the woman in black and the Number Man. Eidolon sat across from them, but Legend was nowhere to be seen. Whatever they were deciding to discuss, it was not meant for his ears.

Alexandria sat down alongside Eidolon, sparing her old friend a glance. "Might I ask what we're talking about?"

The Doctor straightened in her seat. "Something tells me you already know."

"We're here to talk about Superwoman, then," Alexandria said. "I have a feeling this is going to be a common occurrence."

"It'll probably be," the Doctor sighed. "Right now, we're trying to see just how she'll affect our plans. It's been only a day since she made her announcement to help the world, and already she's taken down Moord Nag."

"So I've heard," Alexandria said. "She and Dragon are already helping Namibia institute a democratic government as well. Quite an impressive feat, if I say so myself."

"It's also a problem," Eidolon retorted. "Moord Nag was one of the most powerful parahumans in Africa, someone who could help contribute to the fight against Scion. Now she's powerless inside the Birdcage."

"That doesn't necessarily rule her out," the Doctor replied. "She's only powerless for the time being. If the need for her arises, it would a simple matter to recharge her power."

"Something tells me Ms. Hebert wouldn't approve of that," Alexandria remarked dryly. "I can see where you're going with this, though. At this rate, we could lose most of our power players because of her. I wouldn't rule them out yet, however. She doesn't seem that intent on actually _killing _them, which still leaves them as options."

"That could easily change," the Doctor said. "Some of the more powerful parahumans simply cannot be contained by any means, and she might realize that. What will she do then? Either she will start killing them in order to protect civilian lives, or she will find a way to render them powerless. Either method is unacceptable for us."

"She might not be as troublesome as you think," Alexandria replied. "What do we know about her? Firstly, that she is _immensely_ powerful, considering how she was able to kill an Endbringer. Secondly, she is willing to cooperate with people, making her less of a hassle to negotiate with than half of the available capes. And finally, _she has no shard_. It's entirely possible that, whatever species Scion is, they never made contact with Krypton. She may be a blind spot of his, which we could use against him better than any cape, regardless of how powerful they are."

"That's assuming our plans remain even slightly intact," Eidolon said. "Suppose Scion gets a good look at her and sees that she's not human? That could make him fly off the handle, for all we know. She's a monkey wrench in our scenarios, one that we need to handle."

"What would you suppose, then?" the Doctor inquired.

"Personally? We should try to get her to side with us. She might be an alien, but she certainly cares for the planet and everyone on it. If we show her what's at stake, she might be willing to lend over some of that technology she has."

"That might be harder than you think," Alexandria replied. "Considering what she did in Namibia, it's clear that she's quite sensitive to the suffering of others. What do you think would happen if she found out what we've done here? If she saw the people we've experimented on? She just might dismantle everything we've worked for, consequences be damned."

"Who says we have to let her in on what we're doing with the Case 53s? She only needs to know what we _want_ her to know, like the threat Scion poses."

Alexandria shook her head. "It's too risky. She already knows that I'm also the Chief Director of the PRT. She might not actually possess a shard, but she certainly has Thinker-type abilities. If we do decide to get her to side with us, it'd have to be very indirect." She folded her hands in front of her. "Now, there's other concerns with her, especially considering what we have gleamed about her nature. What if she snaps, or decides to remake her homeworld on this planet? If she really wanted to, she could probably kill every single human on the planet, regardless of whether or not they have powers. We need to think of a contingency plan for her."

"I agree with Alexandria," the Doctor said. "Regardless of what actions we take involving her, we need contingencies. Her powers obviously come from her biology instead of a shard. There has to be limitations to her physiology, weaknesses even."

"If she has any, she hasn't shown them," Eidolon said, rubbing his face wearily. "Maybe there's a toxin from her home planet we could use against her?"

"Considering the fact that Krypton is probably a bunch of atoms scattered along the wake of a supernova, I'd say it's unlikely," Alexandria retorted. "Although..."

"Although what?" the Doctor inquired.

"She mentioned in her announcement that the large object in the Arctic is actually a Kryptonian colony ship. It'd be logical for an interstellar colony ship to have DNA samples in order to terraform its target. Even if it doesn't, there's likely a goldmine of data onboard detailing Kryptonian technology and anatomy. If we could get our hands on whatever's inside..."

"We could create a contingency plan," the Doctor finished. "That may work, though there are still several obstacles in the way. First, we'd need to actually _locate_ the ship."

"We could always access any satellites that haven't been swatted down by the Simurgh," Eidolon said. "If we can't, I could always give it a shot. Everyone else seems to trust her, but I don't."

"There's still the problem of actually getting into the ship," Alexandria added. "We don't know what kind of security features the ship has, and there's always the risk of drawing Superwoman's attention."

"I think we could manage something," the Doctor said. "It'd take some time before we could formulate a proper plan, however. Until then, this meeting's wrapped up."

Alexandria rose from her seat and drifted back down the hall. The portal opened again, and she was once more in an empty field. She looked up at the sky, deep in thought, then took to the air.

There was a possible way to keep Taylor Hebert occupied in the future, though it wasn't something The Library of Alexandria could do.

It was, however, something Rebecca Costa-Brown could.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Doctor Mother waited until everyone had left before turning to the woman by her side. "Any luck yet?"

Contessa shook her head. "No, not yet. It's just like with the Endbringers or the golden man; I can't directly incorporate her into the Path. I can only do hypotheticals for now."

"That won't do," Doctor Mother replied softly. "There's too much we don't know about her for hypotheticals to work. We need to obtain information, and fast."

"Alexandria might be right about gaining access to the ship," Contessa said. "With that type of data, we might be able to predict her enough to incorporate her into the Path."

Doctor Mother sighed and rose from her seat. "That'll be a difficult thing to do."

Contessa rose as well, shrugging. "Not impossible. Once we figure her out, then we can proceed."

As they walked back down the long alabaster hallway, Doctor Mother wondered just what _that_ would entail.


	33. Hero 6-3

Alexandria alighted gently onto the empty field near the Hebert residence. It was pitch-black outside, a sure sign of the coming New England winter, yet she barely felt a chill as she strode into a part of the field secluded by bushes and removed her helmet. In less than a second, she had changed out of her costume and into her civilian attire, leaving the uniform carefully concealed as she made her way to the house, casually hopping over fences. The house's lights were still on, a good sign. She climbed up the creaky porch steps and paused.

_Relax,_ she told herself. _She has shown time and time again a trust in the Protectorate. This time won't be any different. _

Taking a deep breath, Rebecca Costa-Brown knocked on the door.

There was a few seconds of tense silence, then the door swung open.

"Ms. Costa-Brown?" Danny inquired. "What brings you here?"

Rebecca forced a smile. "Hello again, Mr. Hebert. I'm here to have a talk with Taylor."

Danny's eyes narrowed. "About what? Does this have something to do with what she said earlier?"

"No, no," Rebecca replied, shaking her head slightly. "It's not anything to deal with her legal status. It's a request, actually. I hope if I could discuss it in private with her; it's a rather delicate matter."

"I'll allow it," Danny said, "_if_ she agrees to it as well."

"It's okay, Dad," a voice said from seemingly nowhere. A gentle breeze flittered out of the doorway, and suddenly Taylor was there, peering at Rebecca curiously. "What do you want?"

_It's almost like drawing a trap, really; first I need to use bait,_ Rebecca thought to herself. "Have you ever heard of Sphere?"

"I think so; he was that tinker working on ecosystems and stuff." Taylor's brow furrowed. "Didn't he join the Slaughterhouse Nine?"

"As Mannequin, yes," Rebecca replied. "However, this isn't about him. It's about what he did _before_ the Simurgh drove him to insanity. "She stepped down from the porch and gestured behind her. "There's a safe location where we can discuss this further, if you want."

Taylor paused for a few seconds, then brushed by Danny. "All right."

Rebecca smiled. "Good."

* * *

**S**

* * *

"So, Sphere's the one that made that incomplete moonbase," Taylor said, lazily drifting through a cloud. The city of Brockton Bay lay beneath them, glittering like countless jewels in the starlight.

"Indeed he is," Alexandria replied, glad to be back in her costume. "He was nearing completion when the Simurgh got to him."

"I've seen the base, actually," Taylor said. She titled her head upwards and peered at the Moon, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "I can see it right now. What's so important about it?"

"Though he's now a raving lunatic, Sphere was... _is_ a brilliant man. His base contains a treasure trove of valuable tinker tech, technology we could use to complete the job he started."

Taylor's eyebrows raised in surprise. "You want me to finish his moonbase? Why?"

"Several reasons, actually," Alexandria replied. "Firstly, it would always be good to have a population off-planet, where it could be safe from the Endbringers or other disasters."

"And the second?"

Alexandria sighed and looked skyward. _This would be the second stage of a trap. Drawing the prey in._

"It's more of a morale thing than anything else, really," she said. "Ever since the Endbringers showed up, we've been unable to explore space, robbing us of some of our most precious dreams and aspirations. But _you _can do something about that. It'll show that, despite everything that's happened, we can still reach for the stars and hope for a better tomorrow."

The words felt corny as soon as she said them, and she hoped that Taylor wasn't as well-versed in kinesics as she was.

"I think that's a good point. It wouldn't take me very long, either." A smile formed on Taylor's face. "I'll do it."

_Finally, you spring the trap._

"You're doing a good thing, Taylor," Alexandria replied. "I have something else to attend to at the moment, so I'll leave you be for now." She took off, flying back to Los Angeles.

Taylor watched her go, then discreetly typed something into the wafer-thin computer built into her suit's wrist. A sharp tone rang out on a frequency only she could hear, confirming that the message had been received. Satisfied, she then flew upwards, leaving the city far below her.

* * *

**S**

* * *

_I need to properly cover my face_.

Two steps.

Contessa pulled the snug cloth over her face, making sure it would not impede movement or obstruct her vision, then pulled the hood over her head. The clothing was Tinker-designed, meant to withstand the rigors of the Arctic while remaining a high degree of flexibility. The conditions of the inside of the ship were unknown, but it would be safe to assume that the ship didn't have heating on.

Doctor Mother set the phone down and turned to her and the Number Man. "She took the bait. Now comes the next part of the plan."

"I've pored over reports of sightings in order to get a good gauge of her speed," the Number Man said. "Based on my calculations, it should take her approximately twenty-three minutes and eighteen seconds in order to get to the moon, complete the base with the technology available, and return."

"That'll be plenty of time," Contessa said, zipping her parka up. "The Clairvoyant has found the ship in question, I assume?"

"All we need is to open a door to the ship's interior," Doctor Mother replied. "We had Eidolon scope out a few alternate Earths as well, try and see if there were other versions of the ship there. Unfortunately, it appears that this is the only Earth we know of that has the ship or even knowledge of Krypton."

"Twenty-one minutes and counting," the Number Man warned.

Contessa straightened. "I'll scope the ship out and try to see what I can learn."

"Remember, this is only a scouting mission," Doctor Mother said. "_Do not _take anything from the ship, otherwise she'll notice. You'll be dropped into what appears to be a bridge of sorts; the Clairvoyant's data is vague at best regarding the ship."

Contessa nodded. A rectangular portal formed in front of her, revealing a dark hallway, and she stepped through.

* * *

**S**

* * *

There was something unsettling about the alien chamber she found herself in. The architecture, while sensible, was totally unlike any human style, and the lack of light gave off a sepulchral feel to her surroundings, like the tomb of some unknowable thing. She looked about, trying to feed her ability as much data as possible in order to form accurate scenarios.

_I need to get the lights on_.

One step. She walked forward, triggering unseen sensors. The lights flashed on, albeit at a level dimmer than what she had expected. Cautiously, she stepped towards one of the strange consoles of the bridge, taking note of what appeared to be a data port in its center. A cylindrical object no bigger than a pen was inserted into the port, capped by that same "S" sigil that the alien displayed on her chest. She leaned in to get a closer look...

"Do not touch that."

She whirled about, a hand on the sidearm secreted away in her parka, and found what appeared to be a man looking at her with a furrowed brow. As she studied him closer, she saw that there was something off about his appearance. The structure of his face was slightly different, his eyes rounder, and a glance downwards revealed six-fingered hands devoid of fingernails. The man flickered, and she realized that it was a hologram of sorts.

"Who are you?" she suddenly found herself asking.

"I am Jor-El, Zara's father," the hologram replied, taking a step forward. "What are you doing here?"_  
_

_I need to gather data and get out of the ship safely_.

Three steps. She suddenly found herself more relaxed; there was enough data to handle a conversation. "My name is Contessa. I am here to save the world."

"I already know about you and your little organization," Jor-El replied tersely. "I also know that you have to ability to calculate the necessary steps to accomplish any task."

"You seem to know more about us than is expected," Contessa said.

"We've studied your world for many years, with instruments thousands of years ahead of yours. I know about your actions, and though I cannot condone them, I can at least understand them." Jor-El sighed before continuing. "Tell me, what do you expect to gleam from this intrusion? A weapon to use against the sole Destroyer ailing this planet and its countless brethren?"

_He must mean the Warrior_, Contessa thought to herself. "Since you know what we are doing, then you must know what threatens us."

"Of course, that's why I sent her here in the first place." The hologram's eyes narrowed. "I know you're trying to work my daughter into your scenarios and schemes, but it won't work. That requires data, data I am unwilling to give."

"Why? We have a common enemy, and together we could find a way to defeat it."

"Your methods are barbaric and inherently self-destructive, and I will have no part of it," Jor-El retorted. "You may believe them to be what is right and necessary. However, to appropriate a rather popular saying of your people, the road to hell is paved with good intentions."

"What will you do, then?"

"It would be destructive and ultimately detrimental to the survival of the planet and all of its versions if I were to alert her of your organization, but that does not mean I will aid you. Zara will find her own path to defeating the Destroyer with my help. Now, if you wish to leave without being discovered by her, I would suggest you'd leave before five minutes pass."

_It's only been ten,_ Contessa noted. _Even now my data is still woefully incomplete. The hypothetical scenarios will be more accurate, and I suppose they will have to do for now._

Straightening, she took a deep breath. "Door."

The portal opened, and she stepped through. The Doctor rose from her chair, surprise evident on her face.

"You're early."

"I had to be," Contessa replied. "There's some sort of AI that controls the ship, based off of her biological father. I was only able to gleam a trifle of information from him before I had to leave. Apparently the Kryptonian is faster than expected."

Doctor Mother sighed. "At least you were able to get some data on the Kryptonian and her ship, yes?"

Contessa nodded. "Only a little. Now that I know more, I might be able to find a way to get onto the ship without drawing the AI's ire."

"That will be some time, I suppose," Doctor Mother said. "For now, however, I have to consult with the Number Man about the next batch of serums." She brushed by Contessa and left the room.

Contessa went to follow, then paused. _Path to achieving the current goal per our parameters._

To her surprise, the number of remaining steps had nearly halved.


	34. Hero 6-4

Amy checked her watch again, watching as the second hand slowly ticked by, and shivered. She had been waiting outside for nearly twenty minutes, waiting for Taylor to come and pick her up for the movie. Glancing back down at her watch, she wondered if she should have simply waited inside.

All of a sudden, she heard the sound of feet touching down on damp grass. Turning around, she saw Taylor walk up to her, fixing a pair of glasses over her nose. Her hair looked rather disheveled, and it appeared that she had just thrown on whatever clothes were lying around.

"Sorry I'm late," Taylor said sheepishly, combing a hand through her curly hair. "There was an accident in Boston on the way here."

Amy sighed. "That's understandable, I guess." She huddled closer to Taylor, taking hold of her hand. "So, is the movie still on?"

Taylor smiled. "Yeah, Emma and her date are already there. They decided to grab a bite at the pizza place while they wait." She squeezed Amy's hand affectionately and gave her a peck on the lips. "Wanna head over now? It'll be a bit before they're finished."

Amy nodded. "That sounds like a good idea."

They walked down the street, moving side-by-side. It was already dark out, but the full moon meant they could navigate easily through the city. Shivering again, Amy pressed against Taylor, trying to stay warm. When that still didn't work

"So," she began, "how's the whole 'international hero' business going?"

"Busy," Taylor replied. "If you think trying to take care of Brockton Bay is hectic, imagine the whole planet. One minute I'm stopping a robbery in Cancun, and the next I'm in London, putting out a raging fire. Then it's helping an old lady cross the street in New York, preventing a car accident in Berlin, and so on. It's good work, though. It _feels_ good, helping everyone."

"Yeah," Amy murmured, looking down at her hand, "I guess it does."

"So, you excited for the movie?" Taylor asked, changing the subject. "It's been a while since I've been to the theater."

"I still don't know what we're actually going to watch," Amy replied.

"It's an old Japanese film called _Gojira_," Taylor replied, laying an arm around Amy's shoulder. "They're doing a special thing at the cinema to celebrate Asian cinema. Tomorrow it's _Seven Samurai_, then some pre-CUI movie called _Spring in a Small Town._"

"That sounds nice."

"I think I'd enjoy the movie, even if it's bad. My vision is getting even better than before; I can see things that weren't there before, textures and colors I didn't even know existed. I think I can even see-"

Suddenly, Taylor tensed. Gripping Amy's hand tightly, she spun to look at an unseen point beyond the horizon, a brief moment of panic on her face.

"What is it?" Amy asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"

Taylor relaxed her grip on Amy's hand and rubbed it gently, giving a small smile of reassurance. "It was nothing, really. Just a scare."

"Okay," Amy said, eyeing Taylor warily.

They made their way to the theater in silence. Emma was waiting for them, along with a tallish boy with red hair and freckles. Upon seeing the two of them, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Uh... was there something I missed?" she asked.

Taylor rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, I kinda forgot to tell you that." She patted Amy's shoulder. "We're dating."

"Wait, you're dating Panacea?!" the boy asked, his eyes widening. "I didn't... I thought... never mind."

"Well," Emma drawled, "this is _my_ date for the night. Say hello, Dennis."

"Uh, sup?" Dennis said, offering a hand.

Taylor shook it firmly. "Pleasure to meet you. How did you and Emma meet?"

"We met at a Halloween party," Emma replied. "He's pretty funny, once you get to know him. What I'm really interested in, of course, is how my best friend ended up dating the New Wave's healer without even bothering to say "oh hey, Emma, turns out I'm gay and a bunch of other things." _That_ would be a pretty interesting conversation, don't you think?"

Taylor sighed. "It's a long story, and I don't think it's one to discuss at the moment. Wanna head inside and watch the movie?"

"That sounds good," Dennis quipped. "I think I'm going to turn into a human popsicle if I stay out here for too long."

"You still owe me an explanation," Emma muttered. She looked Taylor up and down, then cocked an eyebrow. "Uh, did you two..."

"No!" Taylor and Amy said in unison.

Emma raised her hands defensively. "Didn't mean any offense, just curious. I mean, not in that kind of way, but that doesn't mean I haven't-"

"Just be quiet, Emma," Taylor said.

With that, they headed inside.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"So, did any of you hear about what's going on about the Fallen?" Dennis asked.

Emma cocked an eyebrow. "We were just talking about TV; how the hell did you-"

"Apparently they're having a little civil war or something," the boy continued, seemingly oblivious to his date's objections. "A bunch of them started spouting stuff about how Superwoman's the Messiah or the Second Coming or some bullshit, here to save the world from damnation."

Amy felt Taylor tense in the seat by hers. Sparing a glance, she saw that the color had drained from her girlfriend's face.

Emma seemed to sense it as well. "Uh, Dennis, this is not the type of stuff you're supposed to talk about on dates."

"I dunno, it's pretty cool stuff. Not the Fallen; they're just a bunch of weirdos, but the fact that there are actually _aliens_? It's like something from a pulp novel or a cheesy comic book. I mean, how awesome would it be if she said "take me to your leader" or a line from Star Trek?"

"Dennis," Emma said in a low voice, "if you want any of the popcorn we bought, you should shut up."

"Sorry, sorry," Dennis said, sighing. "I'm just really psyched about everything on the news. What do you want to talk about, then? I heard they're doing a second season of _Worldwar_."

"The alien invasion miniseries?" Amy asked.

"Oh look, the movie's starting," Emma interrupted, glaring at Dennis.

They all fell silent as the movie began. The effects were a bit outdated, but Amy still found herself enjoying the movie despite its shortcomings. As the titular monster began to tear into Tokyo, however, she felt Taylor tense again. There was the sound of plastic groaning as it was crumpled by unseen hands, and Taylor rose from the seat. Wordlessly, she clambered down the stairs and made a beeline for the exit.

"Where's she going?" Emma asked.

"Ma'bee shesh goin' oo a bashrum," Dennis said through a mouthful of popcorn.

Amy rose from her seat as well and followed after Taylor. Pushing the exit door open, she saw that Taylor was leaning against the wall, hugging herself. Her glasses were clutched tightly in her hand, and Amy could see that the lenses were cracked.

"T-taylor?" Amy asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"There were bodies everywhere," Taylor whispered. She raised her head, revealing eyes rimmed with tears. "They were all dead; it didn't matter if you were an old man or a baby, they were all dead."

Amy stepped as close as she dared, then tentatively placed a hand on Taylor's shoulder. "What happened?"

"It was back in Namibia, when I caught Moord Nag. She had just slaughtered a whole fucking village of men, women, and children, and I was too late to stop it." Taylor sucked in a sobbing breath. "It wasn't just that. Remember that accident in Boston I told you about? I managed to save the car before it smashed into the truck, but an old man in the passenger seat had a heart attack and died before he could get treated. When I was in Berlin, putting out a fire, a kid across the city was hit by a car. I can hear them right now, countless people screaming for help, for someone to save them." A small sound escaped her, and she slid down to her knees, cradling her head in her hands. "Oh dear God, make the voices _stop_."

Amy crouched down alongside her. "I know how you feel, Taylor. I've spent God-knows-how-many hours at hospitals, trying to heal as many people as I could, knowing that for every person I saved hundreds or even thousands died. I was... _am_ scared that I'll grow numb to it and stop caring, or worse. I've spent sleepless nights praying that my powers would go away, free me from the burden I have to carry every waking moment of my life. You have to understand that there will always be a fire, or a robbery, or some other thing that needs you, but you can't let it _eat_ you, Taylor."

"And what would I say to everyone I let down?" Taylor asked, choking on the last word. "I _can_ save them, Amy. I can outrace speeding bullets, lift oil tankers with my pinky, and kill Endbringers, for Christ's sake. I shouldn't be letting them down like that, Amy. I'm Superwoman; I can do anything."

"But you can't do _everything_," Amy replied, sidling closer to her. "They understand that, Taylor; no one could keep it up forever without going crazy in some way. You're giving more than you ever needed to, but you keep on going. That's why everyone sees you like they do, Taylor. You give them _hope_. You push them to be better than they are, and that's what's going to save the world, not your strength or your speed." She reached out with her other hand and pressed against Taylor's chest, where the sigil lay underneath her clothes. "_This_ is why you're Superwoman, Taylor."

"T-thank you," Taylor whispered, pulling Amy in close and squeezing her tightly. "I'm sorry I laid this all on you, Amy. I... I just needed to talk to _someone_ about it, someone I could trust."

Amy leaned in and gave Taylor a peck on the lips. "Come on," she said gently, helping Taylor to her feet, "let's head to your house for a bit. They'll understand if we don't want to watch the movie."

"That... that sounds good," Taylor said softly.

They walked back down the street, hand in hand.


	35. Doomsday 7-1

"Jeez, it's getting cold," Amy said with a shiver. She sidled closer to me in an attempt to leech off of my body heat, wrapping an arm about my shoulder. "How much longer until winter break?"

"A few days or so," I replied, squeezing her gently. "What's your family planning to do for the holidays?"

Amy shrugged. "I think we're just having dinner with family from out of town. You?"

"No idea, really. Dad might be planning a trip down to New York so we can visit Rockerfeller Center. We've had more cash to spend ever since I realized I don't need to actually eat."

"Another weird perk of being an alien, I guess," Amy said with a small chuckle. She rested her head against my shoulder, tickling my neck with her frizzy hair, and sighed.

As we walked back to my house, I considered telling her about the new things I had been seeing, the soft haze that seemed to emanate from her and everyone else. Each one was a plethora of colors and patterns I had never seen before, unique in its own way, and seemed to be coming only from living things. At first, the haze, the _auras_, had been barely discernible, but now it was a dazzling array.

After being so accustomed to the countless colors I could see, I had almost forgotten just how beautiful everything could be.

Finally, we reached her house. Amy kissed me goodbye, then hopped up the porch steps. Vicky was waiting for her, jokingly narrowing her eyes at me, then ushered her inside. As soon as she was inside, I took off and arrived at my house in a heartbeat. Dad was still at work, leaving me with a few hours to resume my cape activities. As I stepped inside and began to shrug off my clothes, however, I paused to think about the strange auras I had been seeing. Was it possible that the AI in the ship knew what they were?

There was only one way to find out. I removed the last of my clothes, leaving only the Kryptonian uniform underneath, and took off.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"An aura, you say?" Jor-El's hologram asked, calmly pacing about the cargo bay of the ship. "Could you describe it to me?"

"I'm not really sure I can," I replied. "It's just so... strange. There's nothing else quite like them; I've never seen colors and patterns like them before. They only appear around living things, and only then if they actually have a brain. Animals have less complicated and colorful ones, but people have really bright and complex ones, each one unique in its own way."

That seemed to pique the AI's interest. He stopped mid-stride and turned to face me, his brow raised in surprise. "You are progressing even further than I expected," he said, a warm smile on his face.

"You know what it is?" I asked.

The hologram nodded. "What you're seeing are the distinct manifestations of what we call 'the Source'."

"The Source?"

"That is what it was called on Krypton. Earth's own scientists were able to formulate an incredibly rough picture of it, which is known as _vacuum energy_. Imagine, if you will, purely empty space, devoid of any particles. A moderately educated individual, who has a basic grasp of physics, would assume that it is also devoid of energy, but it is _not_. Far from it. Within the vacuum itself, down on a level orders of magnitude smaller than even elementary particles, there is a seething inferno of energy contained in an infinitely dense mesh that essentially forms the fabric of space itself. While matter and energy exists mainly within a fourth-dimensional scale, the Source exists on an _eleven_-dimensional scale."

"I think I read about this when I decided to research M-theory," I said, absentmindedly cupping my chin. "I thought it was simply a concept in quantum theory, one that couldn't affect practical life."

"That's just what human scientists think, at least for now," the hologram replied. "The reason why we call it the Source is because it is the source of _everything_. The energy from the Big Bang was derived from it, as well as the auras you are able to see. It is the source of sentience itself, Zara, and everything will return to it. The auras will remain intact as they are subsumed into the Source, where they will be able to mingle in manners still unknown to us."

"Whoa whoa whoa," I interrupted, placing a hand to my head. "Are you actually telling me that the auras I'm seeing are... souls?"

"In a word? Yes."

"Holy shit," I muttered, leaning against the smooth bulkhead of the ship and sliding down to the floor. "This is fucking unreal."

"Such a reaction is to be expected, I suppose," the AI said. "The existence of the Source opened a great deal of philosophical debates on Krypton about the nature of the universe, just as it will to you and the people of Earth. Ultimately, however, I believe it will be a good thing. The Source was how we were able to produce the Phantom Drive, and it is why you have your powers."

"My powers come from the Source?" I asked. "You told me that it was sunlight that made me like this."

"That is only part of the picture, Zara. Did you really think that such titanic strength could be fueled by sunlight alone? No, yellow sunlight is a _catalyst_, an energy that unlocks your access to the Source and grants you virtually unlimited energy that manifests within your psychological confines."

I rose to my feet and pinched the bridge of my nose. "What do you mean by that? What psychological confines?"

"If your hearing was simply enhanced, you wouldn't be able to react to crimes halfway around the planet in real-time due to the delay caused by the speed of sound. Your eyesight shouldn't be able to zoom down into the microscopic, or shift into whatever spectrums you want to see. In actuality, what you have is total cosmic awareness, channeled through the senses you would normally have. Hence why you can see and hear things nothing else can."

"Does that also extend to my other powers?" I asked. "Is that why I can lift things without them breaking? Why I can fly without making huge sonic booms or turning the atmosphere into plasma? Because I'm subconsciously fucking with the fabric of space?"

"Crudely put, but yes," the AI replied. "It will take time for you to fully unlock your powers, Zara. Human psychology and Kryptonian psychology are remarkably similar, and it is no easy thing to pry into the subconscious. As you mature, and your exposure to yellow sunlight increases, you will become even stronger than you are now. You will be able to see the universe as it truly is, something that even we could not do. In time, you will know no limits, Zara. And that will enable you to defeat that which threatens this world."

"You know, I never actually got around to asking you just _what_ that means," I said. "You sent me here for a bunch of reasons, but the biggest one seems to be that "threat" you keep on mentioning. Do you realize just how ominous that sounds? What the hell is it?"

The AI sighed. "Have you ever wondered _why_ parahumans appeared?"

* * *

**S**

* * *

"How much longer do we have to wait?" Burnscar asked, finishing off another cigarette. "Two months of lying around is getting a bit boring."

"Patience, patience," Jack replied, lying back in his chair. "The fun is about to begin soon. Mannequin, you know your part of the plan, right?"

The nine foot-tall cyborg bobbed its faceless head up and down, a yes.

Jack smiled. "Good. Now remember, we have to make this as quick as possible, I don't want to get her attentionjuuuuuust yet, otherwise she'll spoil it all. You go in, you grab what we need, and you go out. Of course, you'd probably have to make mincemeat of that idiot Tinker along the way, but that's just a bonus."

A low tone rang from Mannequin, but nothing else.

"**I want this over with as soon as fucking possible,**" Crawler rumbled, resting his head on his front paws. "**I'm itching to give her a try**."

"Don't worry, you will," Jack replied, rising from his chair and stretching lazily. He turned to Shatterbird. "Ready?"

* * *

**S**

* * *

I shrugged. "Everyone has, but no one hasn't actually found an answer yet. It's not a mutation, or magic, or anything like that."

"I know what gives parahumans their powers," the AI replied. Another hologram flickered behind him, showing some strange _thing, _convoluted and wormlike in appearance. There was a fleshy texture to the thing, and I realized that it was fringed by countless appendages. "This is what we call a Destroyer. It is a species of highly adaptive organisms that evolved on some long-dead planet in an unknown star system. Despite possessing amazing computational abilities, alongside an array of different biological mechanisms, they themselves are not very intelligent. They are parasitic in nature, traveling from planet to planet, where they grant the natives abilities for experimentation."

"That's why parahumans appeared," I breathed. "They're just part of some experiment."

The AI nodded. "Destroyers have one goal in mind: reversing entropy. Doing so, they can truly exert their control over the universe. They work to achieve their goal by collecting data on how intelligent life uses the abilities granted to them, often spreading the organic mechanisms across countless alternate versions of the planet in order to obtain as much data as possible. They themselves understand their abilities poorly, as they have stolen the knowledge from advanced cultures and species."

"What happens once they've collected the data?" I asked, though I already had a feeling I knew the answer.

"They destroy the planet, Zara. Every inhabited version of it is obliterated by the Destroyers to ensure that there are as little threats to their goal as possible. Countless species have been exterminated by them, an unimaginable number of lives snuffed out by instinct-driven monsters." He sighed before continuing. "There was a theory prevalent on Krypton that has also emerged on Earth, one that attempts to explain why extraterrestrial life had never been encountered by either planet. A so-called "Great Filter", an event in a species' development that ensures that they never make contact with others. _They _are the Great Filter, Zara. Slowly but surely, they are wiping all of creation free of life. Krypton was spared their attention, due in part to the fact that alternate Kryptons are practically nonexistent, but others were not so fortunate. One such world was actually the planet you call 'Mars', though the natives called it Ma'aleca'andra."

"Jesus Christ," I whispered, putting my head in my hands. I tried to imagine what the AI told me, destruction spreading across the universe on such a scale, but I just couldn't. "What the fuck can I do?"

"Everything," the AI replied. "For all of their power, the Destroyers have a weakness: they have no knowledge of the Source. They tunnel through it in order to enter other universes, but they never considered just _what_ they were tunneling through. They are limited by their own lack of creativity, and the conservation of energy. We can use that against them, Zara. The people of Earth will not share the fate of Ma'aleca'andra. You can save them, Zara. You can save them all."

I straightened, trying to brush the horrific thoughts out of my head. "What should I do?"

"For now, we must avoid drawing the attention of the Destroyer on this planet. This particular cycle has been botched by the loss of the creature's mate, but it will eventually destroy Earth regardless."

"What does it look like?"

The hologram opened his mouth to answer. Before he could do so, however, a high-pitched whistle reached my ears. I turned my head to where the sound seemed to be coming from, located somewhere around Brockton Bay. Despite being in the ultrasonic range, it sounded almost like a scream...

Suddenly, my eyes widened when I realized what was causing the noise. Or rather, _who_.

_Shatterbird_.

The Slaughterhouse Nine were in Brockton Bay.


	36. Doomsday 7-2

I don't think I have ever moved as fast as I did when I raced back to Brockton Bay during Shatterbird's scream. Everything seemed frozen in time as I finally arrived in town, whether it be a leaf falling from a tree or the sparking of neurons in a person's brain. It was so... surreal, seeing the city like that. People were walking down the street or in their homes, blissfully ignorant of the catastrophe that would happen in a mere few seconds.

A pang of terror crawled up my spine as I realized just how much a threat it posed. There were thousands, no, _millions_, of pieces of glass in the city, most of them within arm's reach of someone. Computers, windows, plates, glass cups, they were all time bombs. Already I could see cracks running along some of the windows, sluggishly separating the glass at supersonic speeds.

There was no way I could get everyone to safety in time, even I wasn't that fast. At most, I could get a few dozen people away from the debris, but that would still leave more than three hundred thousand people injured or worse. I tried to calm the panic rising in my chest at the thought of Dad or Amy or Emma getting hurt because I wasn't there to save them because of mere curiosity.

Suddenly, an idea struck me.

Glass doesn't have a uniform frequency; some are higher or lower than others. Obviously, Shatterbird's attack ranged up in frequency as it progressed, otherwise she wouldn't be able to make every piece of glass and silicon fracture. If I were to produce a frequency that could counter hers, I could prevent a total disaster. There would still be a lot of people hurt, but it was better than nothing.

I took a deep breath, and I screamed. I started at infrasonic frequencies, too low for humans to hear, then slowly began to ramp my way up, keeping an eye on the glass around me as I did so. The sturdier windows rattled slightly, but otherwise remained intact. Satisfied, I moved to the next part of the plan.

There were already some shattered windows nearby, their shards hanging in the air as they slowly began to fall down towards the pedestrians below. I sprang into action, scooping up as many people as possible and moving them away from the glass, maintaining the scream all the while. With a sinking feeling in my gut, I saw that some of them already had cuts from when their glasses fractured, peppering their eyes with a veritable flechette storm.

I swept the city street by street, trying to spare as many people as possible from the Slaughterhouse Nine's attack, but it wasn't enough. Already there were severe injuries from the larger shards as they lacerated into soft human flesh, slicing through skin and muscle and blood vessels like they weren't even there. One man was in the midst of bleeding out, a fine arterial spray twinkling in mid-air as his throat was neatly cut open. Heat built up behind my eyes as I focused my vision on the gash, cauterizing it shut. It was a rough job, and there was a high chance that he would die anyway, but it was better than nothing.

In less than five seconds, I managed to clear the main streets of the city. That still left the suburban areas of Brockton Bay, though, where Emma and Dad-

My chest tightened_. Dad. Amy. Emma._

In less than a second I was back home, painfully taking note of the fact that all the windows had exploded inwards. I peered upward at his room and saw that he was leaning against the wall, his face covered in blood. For the briefest of moments, I thought the worst had happened, then I saw that his aura was still shining. I dashed up the stairs and flung the door open, ripping it out of its hinges in the process, then knelt by him.

There were shards of glass peppering him from his shoulder down to his knee, and a large gash was on his forehead. He was okay otherwise, thankfully. The glass had missed any large blood vessels or organs, and the pieces still in his flesh were plugging his wounds shut. It was painful, but he would survive.

His eyes creaked open, and he coughed. "Hey, sweetie," he said weakly.

"Oh thank God," I whispered, gently taking him into my arms. "Come on, we have to get you help."

I extended my hearing, sweeping the city for Amy's heartbeat. Much to my relief, it appeared that she was just startled by what was going on. I stepped out of the house, surveying the chaos before me. Already the air was filled with the sounds of sirens, and a thick cloud rose in the distance where Shatterbird's power had pulverized the beaches. I took a deep breath, trying to get the images of what I saw out of my head, then took off.

* * *

**S**

* * *

As it turned out, Amy had been taking a nap in one of the little nap rooms found in the hospital when Shatterbird attacked. The only glass nearby had been a small alarm clock on the far end of the room, as well as a sole light fixture. Aside from a few scratches on her hands, she was physically unharmed.

Emotionally, on the other hand...

"This is bad," she mumbled to herself. They had set her up in one of the operating rooms, bringing in wounded from nearby wards for her to treat. Many patients, already struggling to stay alive, had been maimed when the equipment around them exploded into countless daggers. Some had lost the struggle. It was disconcerting to see their lifeless bodies as I entered the wing she was in, the auras faded away to who-knows-where. Could I have saved them if I hadn't left?

I didn't need fifty different kinds of vision to see the fear behind Amy's eyes as I walked into the room with Dad in tow. I had already removed all the bits of glass in his side, but there was still an uncomfortable amount of blood oozing from his wounds.

Amy looked up at me, relief in her face. Her arms were painted up to the elbow in blood, and the man she was attending to appeared to be the source of it. "Thank god you're here."

"You okay?" I asked softly, gently setting Dad down. He made a grunt, but was otherwise quiet.

"It's fucking pandemonium going on right now. Any nurses and doctors who didn't get shredded are bringing in guys with their eyes torn up and worse. I don't think I can handle all of this." She took a deep breath, then set about to healing the man. As she knitted his wounds together, her gaze fell on Dad. "Is he-"

"I'm fine," Dad said, wincing as he touched a hand to the gash on his forehead. "Just got cut up a bit. Handle the other guys first; I can wait."

"There's still a risk of infection," Amy replied, clamping a hand down on Dad's hand. A few seconds passed, and the cuts disappeared. "That's better."

"Thanks," Dad said, rubbing his face wearily. He shot a smile at me. "She's a keeper."

That elicited a small chuckle from Amy, only to be followed by a sigh as she continued to work. "The others aren't so simple; they have thousands of tiny little pieces inside them, dangerously close to blood vessels or organs. I have to actually push the shards of glass out, and there's so many of them. This is just the hospital, too. How many others are out injured in the city?"

"Too many," I replied quietly, watching her. Should I tell her the truth, that her power, her _burden_, was just part of some terrible experiment?

"What are you going to do?" Dad asked.

"I'll go check out the other hospitals, see what I can do." I rose to my feet and dusted my suit off, numbly taking note of the dried blood on my hands. Just as I prepared to leave, however, a PRT officer practically burst into the room, fresh blood spattered on his uniform.

"We have wounded coming in from Headquarters," he panted.

As soon as he said so, more officers and capes came barreling in, almost none of them unscathed. Miss Militia nursed a sizable cut on her arm, while another cape held a hand to his eye as he strolled in. Despite the blood, I managed to recognize him.

"Dennis?!"

He looked up at me with his one good eye. "S-superwoman? How the hell do you know my name? No, scratch that; it probably involves bullshit."

"What happened to you?"

Despite himself, he managed to crack a grin. "I was studying over with my girlfriend at her place when the attack happened. I managed to freeze her in time, but I wasn't so lucky." He pointed to the hand clamped over his eye. "Guess it's time to become a pirate."

"Is your girlfriend safe?" I asked. I didn't know what I would do if Emma had gotten hurt.

"Yeah, she's fine."

Miss Militia stepped between us. "You're wounded the worst out of the Wards, Clockblocker," she said. "Get treated ASAP."

My brow furrowed. "Where's Armsmaster?"

Before Miss Militia could reply, I got my answer when they wheeled him in. The front part of his breastplate had been carefully removed, revealing a broad chest crisscrossed by deep gashes. Thick blood dripped from his face, and I realized that he had been slashed across the face. A peer at his insides revealed that one of his lungs had been punctured.

Amy rushed over to his side, having finished with Dennis's injury. "Oh, fuck," she muttered to herself as she placed her hands on Armsmaster's chest. Already I could see as his wounds began to seal themselves shut, his circulatory system working into overdrive as it produced more red blood cells to replace what he had lost. "What happened? Was it the glass?"

I shook my head slightly, still fixated on Armsmaster's prone form. "The cuts don't match up; it's like they were inflicted with a knife or something."

"It was Mannequin," Miss Militia said, wincing. "He somehow managed to break into Headquarters and assaulted Armsmaster in his lab. Shatterbird's attack came while we were attempting to contain the situation, and he got away."

"Shit, so it is the Slaughterhouse Nine," Dennis muttered. "I hoped I wouldn't ever have to meet those crazy murderhobos, I really did."

"The Nine?" Amy asked, pulling back from Armsmaster and attending to Miss Militia. "Why the hell are they here?"

"Maybe they got suicidal?" Dennis offered.

"It wasn't that," a voice said from the gurney, followed by a cough.

Armsmaster rose to a sitting position, putting a hand to his head. Amy rushed over and pushed him gently back towards the sheets. "You have to rest," she insisted. "I fixed your wounds, but you lost a lot of biomass. You'll have to let your body do the rest."

"Fuck that," Armsmaster snarled, pulling away from Amy. "There's something important I need to say about why the Nine are here."

"What is it?" I asked.

"At first, I thought Mannequin was just there because of his M.O.," he replied. "But when he was retreating, I saw him grab something. I think it was that Kryptonian battery you gave Dragon and I."

"Why would he want that? He specialized in ecosystems; I don't see how he could make any sense of the battery."

"It's not the battery, Taylor. It's what's _on_ the battery. You handed that to me personally, remember? It has your fingerprints on it."

"Uh, why would the Slaughterhouse Nine want her fingerprints?" Dennis inquired. "And did you say Taylor?"

The realization of what Armsmaster said hit me like a freight train. "Oh, fuck," I said to myself.

The Slaughterhouse Nine had my DNA.


	37. Interlude IX

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**Topic: Slaughterhouse Nine in Brockton Bay?  
In: Boards ► Brockton Bay ► Cape Doings ► Villains**

**Lurker** (Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

I wasn't the only guy affected by that glass thing, right? There hasn't been an official statement from the PRT, but that definitely seems like Shatterbird's MO.

**OneEyedPeopleEater**  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

It might've been, but doesn't she also take out phones and shit? We wouldn't be discussing this if that was the case.

**Lurker** (Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

Superwoman probably has something to do with that. Word is that she zipped around the city, saving people from falling glass. It wouldn't be surprising if she was able to do something about Shatterbird.

**spangebabovaltine**  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

Well, let's see how Superwoman takes care of them. Hopefully she'll take care of them fast.

**kharneloever69**  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

I'm not so sure about that, dude. She might not be able to actually do something to Siberian. Besides, she's probably too busy focusing on helping everyone who got hurt during the attack.

**spangebabovaltine**  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

Dude, she fucking killed Behemoth. _Be-fucking-hemoth. _I don't think Siberian should actually be a threat to someone like that. She should hunt them down as soon as possible, those fuckers are too dangerous to let live.

**DHebert**  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

As one of the people injured in the attack, I'm glad that she's helping victims. If she had just went for them, there would probably be hundreds or thousands of more body bags in the hospitals. I'm sure she'll take care of them once they rear their heads.

**spangebabovaltine**  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

She shouldn't even be waiting for them to do that. Find them with their pants down and kick 'em into the sun or something. If a hundred people die so she can get the fuckers that would kill more, it's worth it.

**DHebert  
**Posted on December 14th, 2009:

It's easy for you to say that when you aren't one of those unlucky hundred.

**Dacor_2004**  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

Assuming that everyone's least favorite murderhobos are in town, why the fuck would they mess with the hometown of the most powerful cape on the planet?

**Lurker** (Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on December 14th, 2009:

I don't know, and that scares the shit out of me.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"How much longer will it take?" Jack asked, casually playing with a small switchblade. "Every second we spend lying around is another second she could use to find us."

Bonesaw exited her temporary lab, a small smile on her face. "Don't worry; it won't be much longer. Beside's the alterations I made should help keep us hidden."

Jack smiled to himself and drummed his fingers over his chest, where Bonesaw had replaced his heart with a device that pumped blood continuously. It would be harder for the alien to find them if there were no heartbeats to hear. He pressed his ear to the wall of their hideout, satisfied that the "dumb hole" systems Mannequin had installed were still working. They would prevent _any_ sound from escaping the hideout, though anything more than a glance from the Kryptonian could expose them.

Time was essential in this operation.

"So," he drawled, "how's the work on the project going?"

Bonesaw pouted. "It's _so_ hard, Jack. There's something about it that makes everything else I've tinkered with seem like sea monkeys. Three helixes, 16 bases... she wasn't lying about being an alien." A smile reappeared on her face, however, and she rubbed her hands together excitedly. "I still managed to get something working, though. It got weaker and weaker the longer I kept it in the lab. I think she might absorb sunlight or something. The pure DNA was still too unstable for use, so I had to splice in some chimp, gorilla, and human genes to bond it with the virus."

Jack rose to his feet, smiling. "Good work. When will the virus be ready?"

"I'd give it another five minutes or so before it's filled up the canisters. Then the fun begins."

"**Good,**" Crawler rumbled, poking his snout into the doorway. "**I'm getting bored here. When can I fight her?**"

"Soon," Jack replied. "Once the virus is out, you can give it a try, see how long you can distract her."

"**That'll be funny**."

Crawler pulled out of the doorway, and Jack followed. The others were lounging about, trying to look as though they were just relaxing, but Jack could read their body language like an open book. They were tense, anxious for what happened next. He could see the predatory gleam in Siberian's eyes, or the twitches in Burnscar's hands. They hadn't gone for so long without a hunt before, and it was taking its toll. It made him nervous, knowing that his little games and manipulations could only go so far in controlling them, keeping them in line.

It didn't really matter anymore, however. The game was about to start.

_It'll be fun, playing with such an idealist,_ he thought to himself. _Let's see what happens when the people she loves so much stop repaying the favor._

* * *

**S**

* * *

Bonesaw watched Jack go, then turned to the vial in her hand, thinking about the contents within. The Kryptonian DNA was too hard to work with for applications while it was pure, but she had found that it became far more manageable when spliced with that of another creature. There would be far fewer bases, meaning that the more complex tissues were out of the question, but even diluted genes would change everything. Jack wouldn't approve of her making projects without his approval, but the idea was just too tempting.

Besides, it wasn't like he had to know, anyway.

She stabbed the syringe into her stomach. The spliced DNA would enter her system by piggybacking on a retrovirus tailored to her own genes, where it would then alter her tissues on the cellular level. Chiefly, her optical nerves, retinas, and pupils.

Satisfied that the retrovirus was taking effect, she skipped back into her lab. There were still some old ultraviolet lamps left over from when Mannequin was purifying the phonon-trap liquids, and she flicked them on, setting them to maximum intensity. It would be a some time before the heightened vision kicked in, but the end result would be worth the wait. To think of the tinkering she could do when she could _see_ any potential errors!

Soon, the whole world would appreciate her art.


	38. Doomsday 7-3

I was in the process of flying over the city to look for more wounded when the gas began to roll down the street, rapidly engulfing everything in its path. It was quite unlike anything I had seen before; there was an almost greasy quality to it, but it was more like a light mist in how it gently clung to everything. The people inside of it didn't seem to acknowledge its existence by panicking, and I realized that it must have been invisible to them. I watched in horror as it began to spread across the block, entering the airways of the unwitting populace below me.

Whatever it was, I had to do something about it. Touching down on the street, I breathed in deeply, then exhaled, forcing the cloud back with a veritable gale. Once it was away from the crowd, I decided to make sure everyone was okay.

Was it another attack by the Nine? Bonesaw had been reported to be capable of creating viruses, though she had never actually engineered large-scale plagues. Had she decided to break them out for this special case?

I got my answer soon enough. A strong whiff of adrenaline entered my nostrils, accompanied by a staccato of elevated heart rates from everyone affected by the gas. Looking down, I saw that they were all staring at me, their eyes widened. Some of them backpedaled away from me in horror, while others clenched their fists defensively, as if preparing for a fight. It was then that the realization hit me.

They were afraid of me.

It was definitely Bonesaw's doing, then. She must've have put something into the mist, a chemical or some pathogen, and it triggered fear in anyone who saw me. But how? Taking to the air, I peered at the gas itself, studying the very molecules it was made of in order to gleam any information I could. There appeared to be viruses within the strange fog, and I saw realized that each one was carrying a segment of triple-helix DNA.

My DNA.

The faint hiss of pneumatics reached my ears, and I realized that more of the gas was being released into the city, infecting countless thousands of people with it. In a matter of minutes, everyone in Brockton Bay would either be running away from me, or trying to tear my throat out. There had to be something I could do about it, someone I could contact...

_Amy_.

I activated the computer-interface built into the wrist of my suit and rapidly typed out a message. With some help from the AI on the ship and Dragon, I had been able to hook it up the phone network so I could contact someone in an emergency. I pressed send, then looked about the city, eyeing the clouds of gas wafting through it. The Nine was down there, most likely waiting until everyone was in a panic before they moved in. I had to find them before-

Suddenly, I felt the world once more come to a halt as I heard something rush towards me. Acting on pure reflex, I moved to the side just in time to see a shape dressed in black rush by me, a leather cape fluttering behind it. Alexandria. She must have come to the city in response to the Nine's presence, only to get infected by the same plague as everyone else. She slowly began to twist in mid-air, trying to get a bearing on me.

I didn't give her the chance. Reaching out, I grabbed her by the cape and swung about rapidly, then let go. Alexandria arced away from me like a cannonball, breaking the sound barrier as she flew across the city. It wouldn't hurt her, but it would definitely keep some distance between us while I attempted to sort everything out. Looking back down at the city, I saw a large _thing_ moving down the street, converging on my position. It glared up at me with a multitude of inhuman eyes, its hearts beating with what I realized was _excitement_.

"**Fight me!**" it bellowed, tearing up the pavement with paws that could easily hold people as though they were dolls. "**Come on, you stupid cunt, fight me!**"

That must have been Crawler, then.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Amy woke to the sound of her phone buzzing. Stifling a yawn, she sat up in the hospital chair, still exhausted after a late night's work. Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she saw it was a text from Taylor.

_Virus released by S9, linked to my DNA. Possibly invoking fight-or-flight response in everyone who sees me. S9 might target you since you might be able to disable plague. Be careful._

Amy rose to her feet, suddenly feeling _very _awake. Glancing about the room, she saw that Armsmaster was still asleep in the gurney they had wheeled him in on. Carol and the others were elsewhere, helping with the recovery effort, which only left the PRT officers stationed in the hospital alongside Miss Militia and Velocity.

Considering the stakes, it wasn't very reassuring.

Gripping her phone tightly, she moved to Armsmaster's side and nudged him gently. He stirred, then opened his eyes. "Whassa?" he mumbled.

"The Nine might be targeting the hospital," she replied, trying desperately to mask the fear in her voice. "We need to do something, alert the others."

That woke him up. Armsmaster practically jumped out of the gurney, a hand on where his chest plate had been removed. "Stay here. I'll tell the officers to be ready while I go fetch some gear." He hurried out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Amy watched him go, and she wondered if it would be enough.

* * *

**S**

* * *

She had read a science textbook she had found once, after they cleaned out a library in Tallahassee. It described the electromagnetic spectrum, and how the human eye could only capture a tiny fraction of it. Of course, she had only found it interesting because it got her thinking into enhanced optics for herself and her creations.

As she stared in wonder at her surroundings, she realized just how narrow-minded she had been. Everything was so _clear _now, as though she had been a near-blind drunkard before her alterations. She could see radio waves dancing off of the ionosphere as they delivered information across the world, or the roll of infrared light as it rose from the ground in lazy waves. The universe itself was laid bare before her, and it made her feel so very small.

"Bonesaw?"

She turned to Jack, quickly working up a smile, even as she could actually see the neurons sparking in his brain as he formulated a plan. He frowned slightly, but said nothing else as he turned to the gathered group. "All right then" he said with his usual grin. "While Crawler fools around with the Girl Scout, and Mannequin handles the crusading idiot, we'll start moving around the city, keeping her distracted while the dumb healer gets what's coming to her. We need to stick together, just in case she somehow shows up, but that won't stop us, now will it?"

She nodded numbly, barely aware of what he said past the glorious view of the sun behind him.

Jack smiled again. "Let's have fun, shall we?"

Everyone followed after him and Siberian, save for her. She stared down at her own hands, watching her death-switches and surgical weapons shift under her skin.

For the first time in years, Riley felt sick.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Crawler lunged at me again, baring countless rows of uneven and nightmarish teeth as he bellowed in frustration. I almost casually stepped to the side, then grabbed one of his rear paws and spun him back the way he came, sending him smashing into the pavement with a dull _whump_. It didn't hurt him, naturally; there was no way I was actually going to play his sick game and let him get stronger. The streets around us were empty, hurriedly deserted once people realized that there was a brawl erupting between us. It was a good thing, too; there were fewer things the maniac could target.

"**Come on,**" Crawler growled, shaking off a few slates of shattered tarmac as he rose to his feet. "**Is this the best you got?**"

This was getting out of hand. Taking a deep breath, I pursed my lips and exhaled, swallowing him up in a cone of supercooled air. In a matter of seconds, he was frozen solid, making for a macabre street ornament. It wasn't enough to kill him, not nearly enough, but it bought me time to handle the other members of the Nine. I took to the air, listening for them...

...only for a blast of blue light to suddenly knock me back down to the ground.

I rose to my feet in time to see Eidolon descend from the sky, Alexandria floating alongside him. They spared the frozen form of Crawler a glance, then turned to stare at me with unrestrained fury in their eyes. Whatever Bonesaw infected everyone with, it also did something to mess with their serotonin levels, considering what happened next.

Alexandria lunged first, bellowing incoherently as she darted towards me at several times the speed of sound, her firsts poised to strike. I ducked underneath the blow and delivered an uppercut into her gut, a shockwave heralding her sudden ascent as she punched through the clouds. Judging by the force of the blow, she would lose momentum in the lower stratosphere.

Eidolon, sensing the danger of trying to fight me up close, began to pelt me with more of the strange blue blasts as he circled closer and closer. They were hot enough to turn the tarmac beneath me into a bubbling sludge, but the blasts simply washed over me like a strong breeze. I dashed forward, only for him to switch tactics and produce a sheet of metal between us. I initially bounced off, then tore through it with a stronger blow than before. Eidolon countered by blasting a cone of white flame from his mouth, only for me to cut the attack short with a jab to the throat. He fell to the ground, wheezing, then flickered out of sight as he utilized some teleportation power.

I could now understand why Eidolon was considered the top gun of the Triumvirate. It wasn't so much the raw power he could produce, but the sheer _versatility_ he could wield on the field. I extended my hearing, searching for him. He was behind one of the buildings, erecting multiple layers of some sort of plastic about him. One didn't need super senses to see how surprised he was when I suddenly appeared before him, smashing through the defenses like tin-foil. He lashed out with a fist that burned with greenish light, but I barely registered the blow as it connected with my chin.

This had to end now. I could feel everything becoming more sluggish as I slowed my perception, as though the world was trying to move through molasses. Eidolon was in the midst of flickering again, no doubt to teleport away from me. I could see tiny pinpricks opening all about him, more numerous than the stars themselves as they prepared to swallow him and deposit him elsewhere. One of them, however, was in his brain itself, and through it I could see an entire world beyond him, a world covered in a lake of strange flesh. His shard.

Just as the portals were about to engulf him, I shot out with a fist and caught him in the chin, pulling back right before I actually struck home. His head snapped to the side, and he teleported a few feet away, unconscious.

Alexandria and Eidolon were out of the way, at least temporarily. I glanced back at Crawler and saw that he was still entombed in ice, though it would only hold for a few more minutes. The rest of the Nine was still out there, wrecking havoc across the city. Balling my hands into fists, I prepared to take off.

Then I heard the unmistakable sound of a blade slicing through flesh, followed by a frenzied heartbeat. As the sound echoed through my mind, I realized just _where _it was coming from.

The hospital.

* * *

**S**

* * *

_Earlier_

Amy could feel the plague now, her power alerting her of the artificial virus's attempt to work its way into her nervous system through her airways. It was more complex than most of the pathogens she was used to dealing with, but it was not impossible to understand. She began working on it, changing the bits of genetic code that dictated its interactions with human DNA, effectively transforming it into a retrovirus that would reverse its original effect, then die twelve hours later.

Satisfied with her work, she released it in time for a PRT officer to stumble into the room, clutching at a particularly long blade protruding from his chest. The blade pulled out of the man with a wet sound, and he fell to the ground, gurgling as blood pooled into his throat. The owner of the blade casually stepped over the dying officer, flicking blood away as it tilted a doll-like head at Amy.

"Mannequin," Amy breathed.

The nine-foot tall cyborg took another step towards Amy, the blade snapping back towards place as he studied her like a bug under a magnifying glass. His mechanical claws twitched spasmodically, then began to spin rapidly like a buzz-saw. Amy backed away, horrified, and began to try and find an escape route. A door was to her left; it would lead her to another room, but it would only give her a little distance away from the lunatic before her.

It was better than nothing. She started for the door, only for one of Mannequin's arms to lash out with a blade, impaling itself into the corner of the room. A warning. The cyborg inched closer, more blades whirring to life across his body. Amy slid along the wall, trying to put as much distance between her and Mannequin as possible.

_Where's Taylor?_

That was when Armsmaster burst into the room, his halberd at the ready. Mannequin didn't bother to turn as his arm yanked out of the wall and swung towards the Tinker, several blades extended to form a makeshift mace. Armsmaster ducked under the arm, then sliced up at the chain with his halberd. There was a low sound, almost like a guitar string being torn apart, and the arm fell uselessly to the ground. Mannequin lashed out with his other arm, only for the blade to clink off of Armsmaster's armored gauntlet and ricochet back, slicing into the cheap plaster of the wall.

The cyborg decided to shift tactics, swinging his head like a ball and chain. It struck Armsmaster in the chest dead-on, eliciting a pained grunt from him as a rib cracked, then snapped back into place as the Tinker slid across the room, his armor digging grooves in the flimsy linoleum flooring. Pulling his remaining arm out of the wall, Mannequin started towards Armsmaster, only to get struck in the chest by some sort of plasma blast that scorched through the advanced plastic and metal coverings on his torso. The cyborg stumbled back, then fell on the floor. A large hole had been scorched into his chest, revealing the delicate organs secreted within.

It was then that Amy saw her chance. She dashed towards the door, only for a chain to suddenly wrap itself about her ankle and drag her back. Turning onto her back, she saw that Mannequin was pulling her back towards him, a blade sticking out of its neck-joint. Armsmaster was staggering to his feet, clutching his ribs with a groan. He wouldn't be able to reach her in time, and another plasma shot held the risk of hitting them both.

_Where's__ Taylor?_ she thought numbly to herself again. _Why aren't you here?_

She was almost within reach of the blade now, its point gleaming in the fluorescent lighting of the room. Her gaze fell upon the hole in Mannequin's armor, and an idea struck her, appealing to her panicked state. Reaching out with her hand, she managed to get a hand onto the cyborg's soft organs, then used her power to make his cells attack each other. At first, the effects were not noticeable, then the flesh began to literally fall apart as tissues dissolved at the cellular level.

Mannequin died just as the blade pierced into her chest.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I don't think I'll ever forget the sight that assailed my eyes that day as I entered the hospital room and saw Amy. She was still impaled on Mannequin's blade, as there was nowhere near enough time for anything to move before I arrived at the source of the sound that will haunt me. Fresh blood dribbled from the gash in her chest and pooled on the floor, staining her clothes and hair. Already I could see that her aura was dimming, growing weaker as the life literally left her body.

I dashed forward and pulled her free from Mannequin's corpse, making sure that the blade stayed inside so she couldn't bleed out. Her breathing was already ragged, and a look underneath revealed that the blade had impaled into her left lung, tearing into the intricate and fragile aveoli that oxygenated her blood. Even if she didn't die from blood loss, the lack of air would still do her in.

"Come on, come on, come on," I pleaded, trying to blink away the tears welling in my eyes. "Stay with me, Amy, please. _Please_."

I heard Armsmaster shout for someone, ignoring the pain in his chest as his broken ribs groaned in protest. There was a faint gust of wind, and I could hear Velocity appear behind me with Dennis in tow.

Who else had suffered like her, just because I hadn't gone after the Nine immediately? How many people would still be alive if I hadn't focused on recovery first, and instead decided to use everything in my immense power to bring those fuckers to justice?

_How many would have died if you had left them?_ another part of my mind retorted.

That question will haunt me, even when everything else is long gone.

I cradled Amy close to my chest, trying to stabilize her as much as possible. She took in a rasping breath, then looked up at me with her warm brown eye, the light of her soul beaming in patterns that only I could ever see, like a gift only for me. Even then, even as she lay dying on that cold floor, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

"I'm going to find them," I whispered, ignoring the lump in my throat as I spoke. "I'm going to find them, I'm going to _hurt_ them for what they've done, Amy. I'll-"

"Please, don't," Amy said softly, her voice just barely audible. She coughed, spattering my face with speckles of blood, but it didn't even register to me at the time. "He... he wants you to do that, Taylor. He wants you to be like him, to sink to his level. Please, don't let him change you."

I heard Dennis dash towards us, swearing under his breath. Amy looked deep into my eyes, her aura fading to the point that I could barely see it. "Please," she mouthed, just as Dennis reached her, to freeze her with his power until help could arrive.

Then, with one last shudder, Amy Dallon breathed her final breath.


	39. Interlude X

There were few times in Armsmaster's life where he could truly admit that he was afraid. He faced criminal scum and parahuman villains on a near-daily basis, always keeping his cool as he formulated the strategies or tools needed to bring them to justice. Even when facing the Endbringers themselves, he had managed to keep down his sense of panic until the crisis had passed.

As he watched the most powerful being on Earth kneel beside the still form of one of the few people she truly cared for, a pang of unadulterated terror threatened to reveal itself.

A few long moments passed before Taylor let go of Amy's frozen hand, delicately tracing her fingers along the girl's palm with what could be described as reverence. A single tear ran down her face as she did so, dropping into the pool of red beneath her and rippling outwards. Leaning down, she kissed Amy's time-locked and lifeless form, then rose to her feet with slow, inhuman grace. A low rumble reached Armsmaster's ears, and he realized that the room was actually _trembling_.

"The paramedics are on their way," he said numbly, hoping to bring even an iota of comfort to the girl before him. "She's only in a state of clinical death; there's still a chance they could resuscitate-"

She turned to look at him, staring right through him with eyes colder than death itself, and the remaining words died in his throat.

"I could have saved her," she said, her voice barely audible. "I could have stopped this from the start, all of it."

"You can't blame yourself, Taylor," Armsmaster replied, wincing inwardly at the pain in his ribs. "It was _them_ who did this, not you."

"I allowed them the chance," came her soft retort. "If I had looked for them from the start, instead of focusing on helping everyone who was hurt-"

"There would be even more bodies to bury." Armsmaster took a deep breath. "There's always something where we kick ourselves, saying 'if I did this instead of that' or 'I shouldn't have made such a stupid mistake'. It _hurts_, and it never stops hurting, but we can't let it stop us from doing good in the future. Taylor, you can't let the Nine take you down into the muck with them; don't let them rob the world of an idol for hope and a brighter future."

Taylor looked down at her hands, still slick with Amy's blood. "She asked me the same thing." Turning back to the frozen form of the girl she loved, she clenched her fists until her knuckles turned a starch white. "I'm not going to let them bring me down with them, but I won't let those fuckers hurt anyone else," she growled through gritted teeth. "This ends **_now_**."

Then she was gone.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Riley strode down the halls of the hospital with purpose, paying no attention to the people who rushed out of her way like startled cattle. Some of them screamed and yelped with terror, while others simply paled and moved in the opposite direction as quickly as possible. A security guard reached for his holster as she reached the elevators, but decided against it when she gave him a glance. There was no need to guess which level she needed to be at; all she needed to do was glance up.

The elevator doors opened, and she dashed down the hall until she found the room in question. The man with the halberd was there, guarding the still-frozen form of the girl she had helped to kill. A pang of nausea hit her at the thought of it, but she dismissed it with a flick of her many augmentations.

The man started with surprise when he saw her step into the room, and he clutched his halberd tightly as he pointed it at her chest. "Bonesaw! Don't take a step closer or-"

"I have several bio-engineered plagues inside my body that will spread upon my death," she replied calmly. There was no meaning behind it any more, but she knew from previous experience that it made attackers hesitate. "Now, step aside."

The man paused, but still kept the halberd leveled at her. Scowling to herself, she rushed forward and swatted the weapon out of his hand, then pushed past him and kneeled by the still frozen form. The man swore, clutching at his arm, and backed away, his eyes darting occasionally to the halberd. "What are you even doing?" he asked.

She didn't answer as she unloaded the equipment she had brought with her. The body before her was frozen, captured in a single moment, but she could still see the damage inflicted. It would have been a fairly simple operation earlier to fix it, and now, with the vision she had, it was child's play.

As she waited for the effect to wear off, she hummed a nursery rhyme to herself, and remembered.

_Be a good girl_.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"This is boring, Jack," Burnscar mumbled, flicking away another cigarette into the flames about her. Several buildings were burning nearby, illuminating the night, but she paid no heed to them. "Where the hell is everybody?"

Jack frowned as he surveyed the empty streets before him. Normally, cities wouldn't get _this_ desolate for quite a while. "They're probably around here somewhere. We just need to find them, that's all."

Crawler came into view as he trotted around the corner, shaking off a few flecks of ice. "**No good. I can't seem to find _anyone_, let alone the blue bitch.**"

"_You have me to thank for that,_" a cold voice, echoing through the streets. "_I decided to move everyone you hadn't killed to safety before what happens next._"

Jack tensed, glad that Siberian was still within arm's reach of him. He looked about wildly, trying to find the source of the voice. "Where are you?" he muttered to himself.

"_Don't worry; you'll find out soon enough._"

"I think I could crap diamonds right now," Burnscar mumbled, her eyes wide with terror as she craned her head skyward. The flames began to recede towards her, helping to obscure her form. "This is not fucking good."

"**T****his is going to be _great_**," Crawler growled, pacing about excitedly.

Shatterbird took to the air, countless shards of glass orbiting smoothly about her. Jack felt a light pressure on his arm as Siberian grabbed him, applying her power in order to grant him her invulnerability. It was comforting, if only a little. He looked to see if Bonesaw was similarly protected, only to realize that the girl was nowhere to be seen. He dismissed it for now; there was something far more concerning at hand.

"I take it you saw what happened to your little girlfriend, I see," he said, trying to salvage his air of confidence. "What did you think?"

A pause.

Jack smiled, knowing that he had struck a nerve. "Oh, it must have been _terrible_ to see what Mannequin did to her, wasn't it?" he pressed on, raising his voice an octave. "To know that, despite what everyone thinks, you aren't infallible? I mean, if you couldn't protect _her_, how are you going to protect everyone else? You're just a little girl, trying to force order on a world that doesn't even know the term. For every crook you toss in jail, there's always going to be two more. Saving the world, making it better than how it is? It's nothing more than a _pipe dream_. Tell me, what do you say to that?"

"_Cardboard._"

Jack raised an eyebrow in surprise. Of all the possible responses, he wasn't expecting _that_. "Now, just what do you mean by that?"

"_I feel like I live in a world made of... cardboard, always taking care not to break something, to break _someone," came the icy reply._ "Never allowing myself to lose control, even for a moment, or someone could _die_. But guess what? There are no innocent civilians to worry about, are there? And not only that, but you made the ultimate mistake of _pissing me off. _It's just you and me._"

A pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the distance, the dark obscuring everything else. There was something almost primal about the scene before Jack's eyes, as though the fears of Mankind itself were expressed through a nightmare. Even Siberian took a step back as the crimson light punctured the seemingly impenetrable night, casting a hellish ambience.

"_For the second time in my life, I get to _cut loose."

The light disappeared. Siberian hissed softly between her teeth, flexing her free hand experimentally as she looked for a possible avenue of attack. Suddenly, there was a look of surprise on her face, and she disappeared. One second she was there, and the next she had seemingly flickered out of existence. A chilly wind caressed Jack's face, and he fully realized that he was vulnerable again.

"How?" Jack began, shock finally making itself visible on his face. He stared at the spot where Siberian had just been a few moments ago.

"_I figured something was up with Siberian when I looked at her,"_ she replied._ "Then I found a man with an active Gemma nearby, concentrating on something. Siberian was just a projection of a parahuman. Dr. William Manton, to be exact. While she was invulnerable, _he_ wasn't._"

"**My god, you are such a fucking tease!**" Crawler bellowed, tearing up the street in excitement. "**Come on, you stupid fucking cunt! Hit me with your best shot, not those little pus-**"

There was a blue and red blur, and Crawler disappeared as well, a thunderous snapping sound signaling his sudden departure. A short moment passed, then a strong gust of wind buffeted against Jack, nearly bowling him off his feet with its strength. It was enough to send Shatterbird to the ground, her arm breaking with a wet crack from the force of the impact. She wailed in pain, but Jack paid no heed as he looked skyward, his jaw hanging open in shock.

"Where the fuck did he go?!" someone screamed nearby. Burnscar.

"_He's currently clearing low Earth orbit at about one percent of the speed of light,_" came the calm reply. "_Even if he manages to survive the vacuum of space, something tells me he won't hold up well when he hits the Moon._"

Shatterbird rose to her feet, whimpering as she clutched her broken arm. She opened her mouth, most likely to scream, only for her to make a choking sound and collapse to the ground again. Steam rose from her mouth as she gasped for breath, and she clutched her throat with her good hand.

"_Can't sing when your larynx has been cauterized, can you?_ _Now, you won't be able to hurt anyone again._"

There was another multicolored blur, and Shatterbird disappeared as well.

Burnscar shouted something incoherent, flames shooting out from every square inch of her body as she set half the street ablaze. She twisted about wildly, aiming her power at anything that moved in her field of vision. The flames licked at any remaining moisture, causing a thin fog to coil into the air as she continued to panic. Jack backpedaled away from the growing inferno, painfully aware that any control he had over the situation, or even his group, was long gone. In a matter of minutes, decades of his life had come crashing down before his eyes.

The blur returned again, rapidly circling about Burnscar. There was a sound of howling wind that drowned out everything else, then a veritable twister formed about her, snuffing out her flames in a heartbeat. Burnscar reached for her throat and fell to her knees, gasping for air as the whirlwind stole it from her lungs.

"_The thing about fire is that it's essentially a rapid oxidation that produces_ _energy_," the voice said, hard and deliberately even._ "Key word here being _oxidation_. No oxygen, no fire._"

As with everyone else before her, Burnscar disappeared, leaving only Jack in the street. The street became deathly quiet with her departure, save for the faint rustling of the winter breeze. Despite the chill, Jack found himself sweating.

"What's it going to be, now?" he demanded, desperately trying to sound confident, even as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Are you going to pound me into a fine paste? Kick me into orbit? Barbecue my face?"

Twin pinpricks of dull red light reappeared in the distance, a grim echo of before. There was a sharp laugh, devoid of any humor, that echoed through the sepulchral emptiness of the street.

"_Oh, Jack. Who said anything about your face?_"

Before he could fully comprehend the implication behind her words, there was a strange sensation in his head, almost like a slight pressure behind his eyes, then everything became _off_. It seemed like the world had changed in countless and infinitesimal ways, completely throwing off his perception, despite remaining virtually the same. It gnawed at the back of his head like a bizarre uncertainty, shifting whenever he tried to piece together its nature. Acting on instinct, he extended his power to his blade, only to find that he _couldn't_. He stared at the knife in disbelief, a tingle running down his spine.

"Y-you depowered me," he muttered, looking back up at the burning eyes in the distance. "You took away my powers. How?"

"_I scanned your brain for your Corona Pollentia,_" she replied, as though she was reading from a textbook. "_When I found it, I severed its connections to the rest of your nervous system in_ just_ the right way_."

"W-what?"

"_Heat vision, adjusted so that it would only target the tissue I wanted it to, focused like the world's best scalpel. _Instant _lobotomy._"

"That's not possible," Jack said at a near-whisper, taking a step back from the light in the distance. "There's no way you could do that."

"_Are you really doubting that?_" she asked incredulously. "_I can see the orbit of electrons. I can see things that no one else even knew _existed."

Suddenly she was there, towering before him like a vengeful goddess of war. She stared down at him with a look of barely-constrained fury in her gaze, her eyes almost blinding with their crimson brilliance.

"_I can see your soul_."

She backhanded him, her arm swinging almost lazily as she did so. Jack's head snapped to the side as her hand struck his cheek like a bar of iron, and he tasted copper in his mouth. A dull ache spread across his face, and he realized that she must have somehow disabled the pain switches Bonesaw had installed. She slapped him again, forcing him to take a step back as she drifted forward.

Panic surged through Jack, and he lashed out with his knife, even though he knew that it was a futile gesture. Without looking, she caught the serrated blade between her thumb and forefinger, then twisted with no visible effort behind it. The knife snapped like a dry twig, and he let it drop to the ground uselessly.

"Tell me, Jack," she said calmly. "What is it like to be the victim this time? To know that there is _nothing_ you can do to save yourself, no matter what you do? No attempts to plead for your life, to run, to fight back?" She lashed out with her foot, tripping him off balance and making him fall to his knees. "Tell me, how does it feel?"

A small sob escaped his throat, despite all the effort he put into keeping it contained. "It all went wrong, all of it. It wasn't supposed to _be_ this way."

"I wonder how many of your victims though that, before you chopped them into bits? Or when you decided to have Bonesaw twist them into unrecognizable _things_?" She pulled back a fist and glared at him, her burning eyes unblinking. "Why don't you ask them?"

Her fist moved, and Jack closed his eyes, waiting for the end.

A few seconds passed, and he was still waiting.

After a few more had passed, he dared to open his eyes again, and saw that the fist had stopped an inch from his face. It pulled back and unclenched, revealing that the glow had faded from her eyes. She descended to the ground, her cape fluttering slightly in the wind.

"What?" he mumbled, dumbfounded.

"I know what you wanted to do," she replied quietly, folding her arms across her chest. "One way or another, you were going to try and drag me down into the filth with you, whether it be by breaking my will or making me snap. The world would lose another idol, and you would win, even if you died doing so. That's why I'm not going to do it."

She reached out and took him by the neck, lifting him into the air like he was as small as a kitten. Fingers that could crush coal into diamond wrapped themselves delicately over human flesh and bone, gripping his throat like bars of steel. "Don't be mistaken, though. You couldn't even begin to comprehend how badly I just want to _squeeze_; it would be like crushing soap. But that would be easy, wouldn't it? Giving in to that urge, letting down everyone, letting down _her_. It's a slippery slope, one that I refuse to step on."

"But... the others," Jack rasped.

"They're alive as well. I depowered them, just like what I did with you. Shatterbird and Manton were tough cases, but I was able to get it right. Crawler is just floating around in orbit while I help the PRT prepare a way to contain him safely. Maybe I'll dump him on some distant asteroid, let him spend the rest of forever unable to hurt anyone. You and the others will definitely be executed, but it'll be because of the judgement of society, not because one person snapped and killed them in revenge."

There was a spurious sensation of movement, and suddenly they were near a PRT van. Several officers were already in action, loading the unconscious and shackled forms of the Nine into it. One of them took notice and trotted over to Jack, producing a pair of handcuffs. He didn't even bother to resist as he was restrained and carried to the van, a dazed look in his eyes. The last thing he saw before the doors slammed shut was her steely gaze.

"Goodbye, Jack," Superwoman said.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Taylor waited until the van was out of range before letting the tremors finally come out. Dropping to her knees, she cradled her face in her hands and drew in a sobbing breath. A anguished wail echoed through the neighborhood, rattling windows and making nearby buildings quiver imperceptibly.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered to herself, wrapping her arms about her torso. "I could do anything, but I couldn't save you."

That was when she heard it. A sound she thought she would never hear again, one that had occupied a small, but important, part of her life. One that had stood out amongst all the countless others like it. A heartbeat, weak but steady.

_Amy's_ heartbeat.

She was back in the hospital room before the heart had a chance to beat again, oblivious to everything else but her as she stepped inside. Numbly, she dropped to her knees at Amy's side and reached out with a tentative hand, caressing her face gently. The aura was bright again, the same one as before.

"Taylor," Amy wheezed. "Is that you?"

Taylor nodded, blinking back the tears in her eyes. Leaning down, she pressed her forehead against Amy's. "I thought I lost you," she whispered.

Amy wrapped her arms about Taylor's neck and kissed her. "It's okay," she said softly. "It's okay. I'm here."

Taylor pulled away from Amy, her eyes falling on the device in her chest. "What happened to you?"

"That was me," a high-pitched voice said from behind.

Taylor whirled about to find herself looking at Bonesaw. The girl was rather calm for someone who was on her knees, arms manacled behind her back. There was a strange look in her eyes, like everything she was seeing was new to her. A faint smile graced her cherubic face, but it was different from before, with a twinge of something else behind it.

"I implanted a device into her lungs that will basically oxygenate her blood directly until she's healed," the girl continued. "It contains an biological agent that will accelerate the regenerative capabilities of her cells as well. The device will be gradually pushed out by the regeneration and fall out once she's at an acceptable level."

Taylor peered into the device, looking for any signs of kill-switches or biological weapons hidden inside. Satisfied, she turned back to Bonesaw. "Why did you do this? Why now, after everything else you've done?"

Bonesaw didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned her head, that same strange look in her eyes. "Is..." she began, then swallowed dryly. "Is... is this how you see the world? Every day, seeing how _beautiful_ everything is, seeing how connected we all are?"

As she stared at the girl, peering deeper and deeper, Taylor understood.

"Yes, yes it is," she replied softly.

Armsmaster coughed, his halberd trained on Bonesaw. "We still need to do something about her, Superwoman. We can't quite run the risk of biological agents, and if she has even a _fraction_ of your abilities from whatever she did with your DNA..."

"I think I can do something about that," Taylor said. "There's something I can use to keep her contained, back in the ship."

Armsmaster nodded. "Good."

"Do what you have to do," Bonesaw said.

Taylor rose to her feet, giving Amy a long glance before walking over to Bonesaw. She grabbed her by the shoulder, and they disappeared.

"It's going to be a while before things are back to normal, isn't it?" Amy inquired, rising to a sitting position. "There's just too much that happened for us to just brush off."

"There are going to be bumps on the road, that's for sure," Armsmaster replied, shouldering his halberd. "Physically and mentally, for everyone. Wounds to heal, infrastructure to repair, traumas to overcome, but I think that, in the end, it'll all be good."

"What makes you think that?"

Armsmaster shrugged. "I suppose I just have hope."


	40. Hope 8-1

All it took was a few more slight alterations to the life support systems, and it was done. A dim red light illuminated the fairly spacious cell Bonesaw - no, _Riley_ \- was now calling home, and I stepped back out. As soon as I did so, a thin plastic sheet came down between us, serving as a transparent cell door. Satisfied, I activated the intercom.

"Are you comfortable?" I asked.

Riley nodded, a hand testing the mattress as she turned to me. "I'm okay."

I sighed. "Good. There's a bathroom you can use, and the nano-fabber in the corner over there can synthesize simple meals for you to eat. If you want to, I can bring you books to read, maybe something to jot down your thoughts so you don't get bored."

A small smile formed at the corners of Riley's mouth. "That sounds nice." She looked up at the red light in the room, and the smile disappeared. "That'll take the sight away, won't it? I can feel it fading already, like I'm slowly going blind."

"Yes," I answered, my gaze falling to the floor. "I'm sorry; it's the only way to make sure you can't hurt anyone, even by accident."

Riley sat down on the mattress, squeezing the nano-fabricated sheets. "I understand. It's a small thing to pay for everything I've done, I guess."

I stood there for a few minutes, watching as she curled up on the mattress, then turned towards the exit. I was at the door when I heard the mattress creak, shifting as she rose to a sitting position.

"Superwoman?" she asked, her voice soft. There was a slight quiver to it, like a kid afraid of her dad turning off the lights.

I paused, then turned back to look at her. "Yes?"

"C-could... could you tell me a story before I go to bed?"

It was hard to remember at times that, despite her frightening intelligence and history, Riley was still a kid. Walking back towards the cell, I thought of a story I could tell her. Mom used to tell me nursery rhymes back when I was much younger, but something told me she had already heard them before. Pulling out a storage crate, I sat down and leaned in close to the cell door.

I took a deep breath, then made my choice.

"There once was a planet named Krypton..." I began.

* * *

**S**

* * *

The AI was waiting for me when I walked back into the main hall, his arms crossed like a disappointed parent.

I arched an eyebrow. "What?"

"You do realize that there are risks in bringing someone like her onto the ship," the AI said, sighing. He unfolded his arms and began to pace about the room. "Considering that she already has knowledge of Kryptonian DNA, it is possible that she might be able to expand upon it and infect you with some lethal plague."

I shook my head. "The cells have closed life-support systems, including the plumbing. Even if she _did_ make a virus, there's no way she could give it to me."

"Quarantine safety measures were never designed with someone as capable as _her _in mind," the AI retorted. "You say that she was able to break her conditioning due to her access to Kryptonian senses, correct? What's to say that she won't revert back to her murderous self once said senses disappear?"

"Jack and the others are away from her," I replied. "She was probably afraid that Jack would kill her if she didn't play along. She's _nine_ years old, for god's sake; do you really think that she just _wanted_ to start butchering people?"

The AI sighed. "Fair enough, I suppose. I still want you to exert as much caution as possible when dealing with her, Zara; there's no telling what someone like her may do."

"Of course I'm being cautious," I replied. "That's why she's in a quarantined cell with red sunlight."

"That _should_ do for now," the AI said. "I guess I'm just concerned for you."

"Of course, there's always some more problems involved with maintenance," I muttered to myself. I began to pace around the main hall myself, thinking, then stopped as I remembered something. "The remaining Destroyer on Earth, the one you were talking about before I had to leave. You said it was actually _on_ this planet, right?"

The AI nodded. "Indeed it is. The Destroyers often took on the appearance of the natives in order to ensure the success of their cycles, doing so by projecting part of their bodies into the target reality and shaping it into what the natives would consider ideal. They design their bodies to exemplify the most prominent values the species has, such as beauty or strength. Often times they will attempt to invoke worship from the natives by shaping their projections to fit the appearances of religious figures. If the species is divided by matters of physical appearance, like Earth, Ma'aleca'andra, or early Krypton, then they will assume a fairly neutral appearance."

"Do you know who the Destroyer is, then?" I asked, though I had a sinking feeling in my gut that I already knew the answer. "The form it took here, on Earth?"

"Yes," the AI replied. "Unfortunately, the Destroyer is the physically stronger of the two that came to Earth, the closest their species has to a male. Currently, it is in a period of mourning, attempting to find meaning in life past its mate, but that will soon come to an end. In a matter of years, decades at most, he will destroy this Earth and its countless alternates."

Another hologram flickered into life behind him, and I felt a chill run up my spine as I recognized the Destroyer the AI was describing. It was _him_.

"The people of Earth know him as Scion," the AI said, his voice grim.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Colin."

Armsmaster stirred, then opened his eyes and rose to a sitting position, his mind still foggy. Rubbing his eyes with his palms, he turned to the little monitor by his cot. Dragon's avatar was there, a concerned look on her face.

"What is it?" he asked, stifling a yawn. "Is there a problem with that code of yours I helped you edit last week?"

"No, no, it's not that; the trials with multiple units have been going well so far," Dragon replied. "I called you because I received a message from Taylor just a few minutes ago; she says it's urgent."

Armsmaster practically lept out of bed, shrugging on the armor he had placed on the shelf by his bed. It was fairly quick work, and in a minute he was suited up. "What else did she tell you?" he asked, slinging his halberd over his back. "What kind of emergency is it?"

"She didn't specify; she just told me to bring some of my equipment over to her ship in the Arctic, and that she's going to pick you up from the roof in a few minutes."

"Must be rather personal or dire," Armsmaster muttered to himself as he made for the nearby stairwell. "Perhaps even both."

The sky was clear as he climbed to the roof, and he could faintly discern the band of the Milky Way through the haze of the base's forcefield. Normally the light pollution caused by Brockton Bay would have rendered it invisible, but a great deal of the city was still without light after Shatterbird's attack. He tightened his jaw at the thought of last week's events, then relaxed when he reminded himself that something like that could never happen again.

There was a soft flutter to his right, and he turned to find himself facing Taylor. She was a few feet away, hovering a few inches off the ground as to be at eye level with him, her arms folded across her chest. There was something behind her eyes, a slight unease, and Armsmaster realized that the situation _was_ concerning.

"Do you mind telling me what's going on?" he asked.

"I can't tell you here," Taylor replied. "It's... not something to discuss when there are cameras nearby. Dragon put up a brief feedback loop into the security systems, but I still don't want to take the chance."

She took him by the arm, and there was a strange sensation of movement, almost as though he was falling. It went as soon as it came, however, and he found himself in some large room of sorts. There was an almost unearthly feel to the place, and with a rush of excitement he realized that he was actually _inside_ her ship. One of Dragon's suits was nearby, unloading crates of equipment from an unseen room. A temporary lab was set up, cluttered with the boxy designs of Tinkertech and the smooth, otherworldly ones of Kryptonian devices.

"I'm here, now," Armsmaster said, scanning the alien chamber he found himself in. "What is it that you need to talk to us about that's so important? It must be bad if you're actually letting us in here."

"It is," Taylor replied. There was a faint blur as she helped Dragon unload the equipment, then she came back.

"What is it, then?" Armsmaster inquired. "Spit it out."

Taylor took a deep breath, then sighed. "It's about the end of the world."


	41. Hope 8-2

"So, let me get this all straightened out," Armsmaster said, rubbing his temples wearily as he sat across from me. His helmet was laying beside him on one of the bridge's consoles, having been removed for a while. "Are you telling me that the world's very first superhero, and often regarded as its _greatest_, is actually the avatar of some multidimensional abomination that destroys planets by experimenting on them, and that our parahuman abilities come from said experiment?"

I nodded, leaning back in my seat. "That's basically the gist of it, unfortunately."

"Jesus fucking Christ," Armsmaster muttered, leaning forward as he palmed his face. "This is just too unreal; you must be making a sick joke or something. I just can't _believe_ what you just told me. Why would he go around the world, helping people and fighting Endbringers, if he just planned on killing us all in the end?"

"Apparently there was another that came with him, kinda like his mate," I replied. "Something happened en route to here, though, and it was killed. Without his mate, he can't fulfill the cycle, and that means he has no real purpose anymore. He's probably helping people because he wants _some_ kind of purpose, even if it makes no sense for him to do it. If what the AI told me is true, however, then he'll grow bored with that real soon."

"It's just so... _absurd_," Armsmaster said. "But at the same time, it makes a frightening amount of sense. It would explain his seemingly random appearances, the sheer power he wields, and why other people started getting powers after he appeared."

"Regardless of how absurd it seems, it still poses a very real threat," Dragon said, a humanoid suit standing to our side. "If Scion is what we fear him to be, then our situation is very dire. Until you came along, he was regarded as the most powerful being on the planet, and that's not taking into account what you've told us. If he does decide to destroy us, we could be looking at a staggering death toll."

"That's putting it mildly," Armsmaster quipped, leaning back in his chair. "Look at the amount of destruction caused by parahumans with just one of those 'shards' you described to us. I don't want to imagine what one could do with thousands of them, especially considering that he probably keeps the strongest ones for himself."

"And we're the only Earth that could stand a chance of defeating him," Dragon added. "Based on our interactions with Earth Aleph, it appears that we have the higher concentration of parahumans, and they're the Earth most similar to us."

There was a flicker, and the hologram of Jor-El appeared in the room. "I have finished constructing the lab with the nano-fabbers, as you ordered." He turned to Dragon and Armsmaster. "I was listening in on the conversation; you are right about this Earth having a larger population of parahumans. The Destroyers would often choose a planet with the proper amounts of conflict, biosphere damage, and other factors as their 'ground zero', a planet that would essentially cause shards to spread to nearby realities as the main one fell into chaos."

"Is that why the Endbringers are here?" Armsmaster inquired. "They're tools, meant to sow conflict so that more parahumans would appear and experiment with powers, aren't they?"

"More or less," the AI replied. "Our observations of their cycles were incomplete, but that does appear to be the case. They are often designed to invoke elements from the mythology and folklore of the target species. Monsters, daemons, that sort of thing. Considering the names you have given them, it was done well."

"Done too well," Dragon murmured. "It seems like they knew a lot about us."

The AI nodded. "Destroyers often spend time gathering as much data about the planet of destination, including looks into other realities to see potential routes of development the civilizations could take. It allows them to steal knowledge and technologies for themselves; that's how they were able to develop such powers in the first place."

"This is starting to sound like an no-win scenario," Armsmaster said, rising from his seat. "We're going up against something with more biomass than the entire planet, something that can access thousands of powers and travel between universes. What can we even do to a _thing_ like that?"

"I don't think you should give up just yet," I replied. "We have access to tools far more advanced than anything Scion managed to get his grubby paws on, and we have _me_."

"Zara raises a good point," the AI said. "Though they are indeed powerful, Destroyers have their own glaring weaknesses, chiefly their lack of creativity. They have only the most primitive understanding of the tools they wield, and they cannot innovate on them. It is why they haven't learned of the Source yet."

"The what?" Armsmaster and Dragon asked simultaneously.

I turned to the hologram. "I'll let you handle that can of worms later, after we discuss what to do."

"As you wish," it replied.

I rose to my feet and began to pace around the bridge, occasionally turning to look at the Arctic landscape outside. The thought of it being destroyed, along with everything and every_one_ else... I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose, dismissing the images out of my head. "We need to look around for Scion. The _real_ Scion, not what he lets everyone see. Maybe if we find wherever he keeps his biomass, we might be able to destroy it or something, catch him off guard."

"That might prove more difficult than you suspect," the AI said. "It is likely that the Destroyer used inter-universal tunneling to spread its biomass across several uninhabited Earths, as to safeguard against such a probability. We may still be able to cripple it in such a manner, however."

Armsmaster sighed. "This is too big for any of us, Taylor. We need to contact the Protectorate, maybe even other teams, before we can start planning how to handle Scion."

I shook my head. "We can't; that'd draw his attention. We need to be low-key about it if we want a chance of beating him." I sat back down, running a hand through my hair. "Besides, I'm not sure just _who_ we can trust."

Armsmaster arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

I took a deep breath. "Alright, so the shards connect to people's brains in order to give them powers, right? Well, some people have... weird connections. They just appear in the brain, even if they don't have the necessary lobes, and there appears to be a stronger link than usual. I've seen it in a few capes, like Eidolon and Alexandria."

The AI sighed. "I was afraid we would come to this point."

"What point?" Armsmaster inquired. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I am talking about a hidden conspiracy here, on Earth," the AI replied. "They have the same goal as we do, to stop the Destroyer known as Scion, but their methodology is... objectionable."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, suddenly concerned.

"They take humans from other Earths that would have died without their intervention, and give them vials that would link them to one of the dead Destroyer's shards. Quite often, the shard has a radical effect on their bodies or mental health. Then, they deposit the person somewhere on this Earth with their memories wiped."

"Case 53s," I breathed. "They made the Case 53s."

The AI nodded. "That is correct. Initially, they would simply sell the serums to people here on Earth, but stopped in order to draw suspicion. That is how the Triumvirate came to be."

"Why?" Armsmaster asked, his voice barely above a whisper. I could see the heat rising off of his skin as he spoke; he was barely constraining his anger. "Why the fuck would they experiment on people like that?"

"They want as many parahumans to use against Scion as possible, regardless of the means. There is also the fact that, without the restrictions usually imposed by the Destroyers, the artificially granted powers tend to be much stronger. As such, they are willing to let murderous parahumans live, as long as they can be used against Scion."

"Siberian," I said, almost numbed by what I had just learned. "Shatterbird. And those are just the two that I know about." My hands clenched into fists, and I could feel a swell of rage simmering in my chest, threatening to spill out. "How many people have those fuckers killed? How many lives have they ruined?"

"Too many. I understand your anger, Zara; I myself am disgusted by their actions, and would love nothing more than to see them brought to justice for what they've done. But you must understand the stakes we face. If we were to go to war with them, we would most likely draw the attention of Scion in the process. For now, we must focus on _him_. If we succeed, there will be more than enough time to dismantle them."

"What are we going to do, then?" Dragon asked. "Just stand by and let them continue with what they're doing?"

The AI shook his head. "I never said anything of the sort. There are ways to curb them without open conflict, and that is what we shall do as. Despite their questionable morality, they are not fools; they likely know as well as we do what would happen if conflict erupted between us."

"You want us to put our foot down, basically," I said. "Draw lines in the sand and dare them to cross it."

"Essentially. In the meantime, there is still the more pressing matter at hand. We need to start working on a plan to kill the Destroyer as soon as possible."

"I'll hand in my resignation to Director Piggot as soon as possible," Armsmaster said. "I could cite personal reasons, especially after what Mannequin did to me. It'll give me more time to work with you on this, as well as get me out of that group's radar."

I glanced back at the landscape before me, listening in to the countless sounds of the world to calm myself. I couldn't potentially doom an entire multiverse worth of Earths just because I wanted to bring one group of people to justice. I took a deep breath, then sighed. "That's a good start."

Armsmaster rose from his seat. "Dragon and I will get started with the lab now, try and see what we can whip up with access to Kryptonian databases."

I forced a smile. "Good. I'll come by every half hour or so, sooner if you need my help."

"You aren't staying?" Dragon asked.

"It's not like people are going to stay out of trouble while we work on this," I replied, shaking my head. "Besides, people might get suspicious if Superwoman disappears for even a day."

"She raises a fair point," Armsmaster said. "It would be smart to keep up appearances, try to keep everyone in the dark as much as possible while we work on a way to stop Scion."

"I'll see you later, then," I said.

With that, I left.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Armsmaster glanced at the spot where Taylor had been not a moment ago, then shrugged. "Let's get started, shall we?"

"I'm already doing some work in the lab right now with one of my other bodies," Dragon replied. "In the meantime, I want to know just what the 'Source' is."

The AI looked at Armsmaster, then sighed. "You might want to sit back down again."

* * *

**S**

* * *

_Home_.

The thought rang out in my head as I stared back down at Earth. I was only a little lower than geosynchronous orbit, allowing me to take in the entirety of the curious blue orb that spun beneath my feet, slowly twirling in a billion-year-long dance around the sun. I could see the gentle flicker of light of the magnetic field, brightening into the visible spectrum as it touched the poles of the planet, or the swirl of storm clouds as they rolled over vast plains and deserts. Mountains rose above them, scintillating as their snowcapped peaks glistened in the sunlight like the morning dew, while titanic swells in the ocean washed over coral reefs and vast underwater mountains taller than anything found on land. The world buzzed with activity as people went on with their everyday lives, unaware of the looming threat. Babies were born, old men passed away in their sleep, and life pushed on.

It didn't matter where I came from. Regardless of whether I was born here, or born on a long-dead planet with its own people and vistas now lost to me; it was my home. Krypton gave me my flesh and blood, but it was Earth, and the people living on it, that gave me my soul.

And I would fight to my last breath to save it.


	42. Hope 8-3

"Taylor?"

I turned to Dragon. Or rather, I turned to one of her suits. I could see the others behind it, working together in perfect harmony, more like limbs than individual units as they seamlessly handed each other tools and welded structures together. Three of the large ones were setting up the larger pieces of equipment, while a fourth, smaller one was keenly studying a piece of Kryptonian hardware. It was fascinating, seeing just what she could accomplish with only a few of her restrictions removed.

"Yes?" I asked. "Do you need help moving something."

The suit shook its head. "The lab work is going smooth, at least for now. I just wanted to ask you a question."

"Go ahead," I said.

The suit paused briefly, and I realized that she was almost hesitant. "After you left yesterday, Colin and I spoke with the ship's AI about the Source. It was quite, well, _shocking_, really. The revelation that the soul actually exists could... _would_ utterly change everything. Science, philosophy, religion, law, there wouldn't be a part of society that wouldn't be completely transformed by it. And, well, I suppose this segues into my question..."

By that point, I had already figured out what the question was going to be. I could have preemptively answered it, but I decided to let her ask away; it was something that she needed to do on her own. "There's no need to be afraid," I said softly. "You can ask me anything."

"Do... do I have a soul?"

I stopped what I was doing and took in the aura before me, studying the complexities of it. It was an amazing sight to behold, even in comparison to the already mosaic-like auras others had. I could see it shift and swirl as bits of it transferred between the suits and the main server in Canada she called home, like a vast spiderweb speckled with the morning dew.

"Of course," I replied. "You have an aura, just like everyone else."

I could see a bloom of ultraviolet and infrared light coming from the suit's cameras, tracing the outline of my face. She was studying me, trying to see what her complex lie detectors would say. The suit shifted.

"Thank you," Dragon said, her voice soft. "You have no idea just how relieved I am right now. Thank you."

I allowed myself a smile as I watched her aura relax, the sharper lines blurring out. "I could imagine."

Before the conversation could go any further, the computer built into my suit's wrist pinged in a tone only I could hear. Looking down, I saw that it was almost time. "Gotta go," I said, gently taking to the air.

"You aren't staying?" asked Dragon. "Again?"

"I have to keep up appearances. Besides, I need to do this bit," I replied.

As I flew off, I heard Dragon mutter "Must be important."

* * *

**S**

* * *

"No," Emma said.

I changed into the other dress I had selected. "How about this?"

Emma shook her head. "Nope again. It makes you look a bit too old, you know? You've got it, so flaunt it." She grabbed another dress and held it up for me to see. "Try this one."

I did as told, changing into the dress in the blink of an eye. I twirled about, letting Emma get a good look at how it looked on me. "Better?"

"Much better. Sleeveless befits someone like you; it really shows off just how buff you are."

I rubbed my arms absentmindedly, suddenly aware of just how much muscle I had been packing on ever since I started using my powers. Turning to the mirror, I gave myself a once-over. "It's a bit revealing, don't you think?"

Emma scowled. "Seriously? Taylor, you're going on a date, not Sunday service; you can afford to show some skin. Besides, its not like it's even showing off your chest."

I sighed, still checking out the dress in the mirror. "Fair enough, I guess. Let's take it."

A wide grin broke out on Emma's face. "I'm paying for it. Consider it a Christmas gift from Dad and I. Considering how you saved our asses, I don't think he'd mind the price?"

"It's unfair that you should pretty much pay for _my_ date," I said, reaching out for the dress. "Come on, I can pay for it."

Emma stuck out her tongue playfully, pulling the dress out of my reach. "Don't you want some more budget for the rest of the date? Besides, something tells me you don't want to see the price tag."

"I have x-ray vision," I deadpanned. "Of course I saw it."

"And all the more reason why I should pay for it," Emma replied. Her face hardened, suddenly, and her tone became more serious. "Taylor, you've been working yourself ragged for months, saving lives and helping everyone who needs it. You deserve this nice little break, you've _earned_ it a million times over. You've helped me, now let me return the favor."

I watched the tiny micro-expressions on her face, studying the infinitesimal twitches and heat blooms that made everyone an open book to me. She was serious about it, that much I could tell.

"Fine," I sighed.

Emma's face softened again. "Great."

* * *

**S**

* * *

"It's getting pretty late," Vicky said, leaning against the fence. "You sure she's coming?"

"She said around eight," replied Amy. She scanned the clear night sky, trying to see if she could find any sign of Taylor. "It's not like she could really be late, right?"

"Maybe there's an earthquake in Chile or something," Vicky offered. "She might have gotten distracted by some big disaster, and now she's on her way."

"Maybe," Amy muttered, her gaze still fixated upward. A chilly winter breeze brushed gently against her face, and she shuddered. "I hope she gets here soon; I'm freezing out here."

The sound of heels clacking against the pavement brought her eyes down, and her breath caught in her throat. Taylor hurried into view, wearing a beautiful black gown that artfully concealed her statuesque form. Her curly hair was neatly styled, coming down to her shoulders, and her face was carefully made up. She stepped up to Amy and gave her a peck on the cheek, smiling.

"Sorry I'm late; Dad had to head down to exchange some cash. He's getting us seats right now."

"Exchange," Amy asked, her brow furrowing. "Where are we going?"

"One of the best cities to be in for Christmas," Taylor replied, gently taking hold of her arm. "Close your eyes."

Amy did as told, only the usual and bizarre sensation of movement alerting her of their arrival. The air felt slightly warmer, and she could sense bright lights through her closed lids.

"Open them."

Amy's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself before a tall spire. It towered above her, shifting through a dazzling plethora of colors that were almost too bright to look at. A few seconds passed as she took in the sight, her brain finally processing what was before her.

"Is that... the Eiffel Tower? Are we in Paris?"

"Yep," Taylor replied, laying an arm over Amy's shoulders. "Apparently, Dad got a check from the PRT a few days ago. We donated most of it to charity, but it's still enough to afford a nice trip." She gently nudged Amy to the left. "We're booked at a restaurant nearby. Let's go, shall we?"

* * *

**S**

* * *

"How's the soup?" I asked, idly playing with my salad.

"I never knew soup could taste so good," Amy replied, taking another sip. We had only gotten it a minute or so ago, and she was already halfway through with it. "Man, I don't think I could ever get used to the stuff they serve back home again."

"Just wait till the actual meal comes," Dad said to our side. He was dressed in a modest suit that had been lying around in the closet; it looked good on him.

"Time to see if what people say about French cooking is true," I quipped, taking a bite out of my salad. Leaning back in my seat, I took in the city before me. I hadn't really had the chance to admire the city last time I visited, what with Behemoth destroying it and all, but now I could see just how beautiful the city could be at night.

I imagined Scion coming through, reducing it to a vast swath of ash, and I suddenly found a chill traveling up my spine. If I really wanted to, I could actually _see_ him, watch as he numbly encircled the globe and helped the people he was going to destroy in a matter of years. Taking a deep breath, I decided against it. I was focusing onwhat was before me, not what was lurking in the back of my mind.

The meal finally came, and I settled in, dully taking note that the fork had bent in my hand.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"It's so lovely here," Amy murmured, snuggling up against me. "Don't you think so?"

I nodded, leaning back against her. Dad was back in the Louvre, checking out the artwork, while we decided to head back to the Eiffel Tower. The cobbled streets were filled with families and lovers as we passed by, their voices adding to the persistent melody of the world. Parts of the city were still under repair from Behemoth's attack, though, and I dryly noted that one of the holes in the street was made when I smashed into it.

"Taylor?" Amy asked, tugging gently at my hand as she pointed at something. "Do you see that?"

"Hmm?" I replied absentmindedly, still focused on the repairs being made to the city. When I turned to where she was pointing, however, they were swiftly forgotten.

In one of the clearings near the Tower, a tall bronze statue had been erected, easily standing fifty feet tall. It showed a girl, no older than fifteen, a long cape billowing behind her as she directed her steely gaze to the horizon with her hands on her hips. A familiar sigil was carved into its chest, so new that it still shone in the low light. Underneath, on the marble block supporting it, was a plaque.

SUPERWOMAN

LA SAUVEUR DE PARIS

"Is that how everyone sees you?" Amy asked. "You look so..."

"Confident?" I proposed. "It makes me out so differently than how I actually am; my posture is more like some old war hero than a young girl."

"I guess it's just that they don't see the girl, do they?" Amy said, squeezing my hand. "They see the world's greatest hero, the person who killed Behemoth. They don't see Taylor Hebert."

"I guess they do," I mumbled to myself.

We left the statue behind us as we continued on to the Tower itself. Countless tourists were milling about, making it rather hard for us to push through the crowd, but eventually we made it. Standing before the scintillating spire of light, we watched for a few minutes, silent.

"Amy," I began, my voice soft. "Now that we have some time to ourselves, I just wanted to say..."

"Shhhh," she said gently, resting her head in the crook of my neck. "I know, I know."

I felt a lump form in my throat as I continued. "I almost lost you," I whispered, pulling her tighter against me. "I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't gotten you back."

"It's okay," she replied. Leaning up, she softly brushed her lips against mine. "I'm here, aren't I? You can't just keep on letting what happened back there haunt you, Taylor. You did nothing wrong, nothing at all."

I kissed her back, pressing my forehead against hers. After a few moments, I pulled back, a phantom of a smile reappearing on my face. "This was where we had our first kiss, you know."

"Is it really?" Amy looked about, her brow furrowed. "Huh, I guess it is. Hard to tell when everything isn't on fire. Pretty romantic way to celebrate the holidays."

I chuckled quietly. "Merry Christmas, Amy."

"Merry Christmas, Taylor."

We stayed there, holding hands in the shadow of the Tower, until Dad finally came over and we finally left for home.


	43. Interlude XI

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**Topic: Slaughterhouse Nine Execution  
In: Boards ► Worldwide ► Cape Doings ► Villains**

**Imhotep99301 **(Veteran Member) (Original Poster)  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

Link to the official PRT report **here**, and the video of the execution is **here**.

For those of you who are having trouble loading the page due to overloaded servers, the basic summary is that the S9 were apprehended and depowered by Superwoman within their first day in Brockton Bay. Casualties are at thirty-five right now, which is a record low for the S9, though there is still a lot of infrastructure damage to the city. Details are scarce on the attack, but apparently they released some bio-engineered virus which induced a fight-or-flight response against Superwoman. After their apprehension, they were promptly executed at the nearby PRT Centre via lethal injection.

I would bid them adieu, but it would be too good for them.

**(Showing Page 53 of 217)**

**jjbuttrider**  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

What a wonderful Christmas present, don't you think?

**robbiedarobot**  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

Fuck yeah. Rot in hell, Jack.

**ishtarianlover**  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

Is anyone a bit weirded out by the fact that Superwoman can apparently depower capes? I thought that was supposed to be impossible.

**peanutbooter23**  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

ishtarianlover: Nah, not really. I mean, impossible doesn't really seem to hold much weight against a god-like alien that killed Behemoth. If anyone could do it, it'd be her.

**lanalanaLANA**  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

Depowering capes? Boy, the versus debates are going to _love_ that /s.

**jjbuttrider**  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

_Impying that the matches were any less one-sided before that new tidbit_.

**Imhotep99301** (Original Poster) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

Can we please stay on topic? If you really need to, just go to the debate boards.

Moving on from that, has anyone got more information on Bonesaw? She wasn't mentioned in the report, nor was she actually seen in the execution. What gives?

**rabotevgingersnap**  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

It's probably just like what's going on with Crawler; they need a safe way to execute her. I wouldn't be surprised if she has one or a dozen superplague death-switches hidden around.

**ishtarianlover**  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

Yeah, that seems about right. Speaking of Crawler, has anyone actually spotted him in orbit yet?

**dolokohsEATER**  
Posted on December 25th, 2009:

I have. You need some good resolution, but you can even see just how pissed he is.

**End of Page: 53, 54, 55,... 217**

**Topic: Sleeper Still Missing  
**In: Boards ► Worldwide ► Cape Doings ► Villains**  
**

****accelpoeration** **(Original Poster) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on December 27th, 2009:

Links to the various Russian news sites** here**, **here**, and **here**.

It appears that one of the most mysterious parahumans in the world has yet to reappear after going missing nearly two months back. His territory is slowly and carefully being probed, but there have been no repercussions. What the hell could have happened?

**(Showing Page 2 of 4)**

**shokolodwearingrusskie**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

Is it possible that the Sleeper has gone under the radar in order to avoid Superwoman? There have been a few reports of low-level villains surrendering in the US after she came out as an alien.

**AtvarXKirelOTP**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

Nah, probably not. Sleeper has shown to be rather stubborn before, like when Behemoth flattened Moscow. If he did leave, it was probably unwillingly. Or maybe's he's dead.

**gokusandwich**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

AtvarXKirelOTP: Don't be silly; that which is not dead can eternal lie. With many strange aeons, even death may die.

**shokolodwearingrusskie**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

Can we please stop with the 'Sleeper is Cthulhu' jokes? The dude's a real threat, or at least _was_. There's something about him, something that scared the living fuck out of Russia. _Russia_.

**robotB17**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

Well, it doesn't help that we don't actually know _anything_ about Sleeper. There are some who even say he isn't actually a parahuman, but some sort of supernatural demon. Considering that at least one cape is actually an alien, I wouldn't discount that theory.

**gokusandwich**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

Or maybe he actually is a Great Old One. There's probably a reason why he was given his name.

**AtvarXKirelOTP**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

If there _is_ a reason, it was probably lost when Moscow got nuked.

Where did he go, if he actually left?

**robotB17**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

Maybe he decided that Earth Aleph had a nicer Russia?

**gokusandwich**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

Or maybe he returned to R'lyeh?

**shokolodwearingrusskie**  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

Goddammit, dude.

**End of Page: 2, 3, 4**

****Topic: Armsmaster Leaving Protectorate  
**In: Boards ► Brockton Bay ► Cape Doings ► Heroes******

**Lurker** (Original Poster) (The Guy in the Know) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on December 27th, 2009:

Official announcement is **here**. So, it appears that one of the Protectorate's best is stepping down for "personal reasons", whatever that means. He will fully move his stuff out of the base's lab in two days, and there are rumors that he might do some independent heroics.

**(Showing Page 17 of 17)**

**MissMilitia** (Verified Cape)  
Posted on December 28th, 2009:

Before anyone else asks: No, we are not kicking him out. He might be a tad bit antisocial, but we understand just how important he is to the team, and we are deeply saddened by his departure. We wish him the best of luck, wherever fate takes him.

**End of Page: 15, 16, 17**

* * *

**S**

* * *

One of Dragon's smaller suits craned its mechanical head. "Might I ask just _what_ you are doing, Colin?"

"Doing what I do best: tinkering," he replied, not even bothering to look up from the equipment he was working on. Satisfied with his progress, he held up his latest progress for Dragon to see. "What do you think so far?"

"Is that one of the Kryptonian biosuits?" Dragon inquired.

Armsmaster -no, _Colin_; the alias no longer held any purpose- nodded as he put it back on his workshop table. "There were about of hundred of them in one of the storage depots; Taylor let me take one for study. I'm trying to see how well I can integrate my own equipment into it. If I can get it to work, even slightly, then we could expand past just searching the archives for ideas."

"That does sound like a good idea," said Dragon. "Have you made any progress?"

"Not as much as I would have liked," Colin admitted, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. "I've mainly just found a few extra functions for the suit, though that is still a vast improvement over my own armor." He dragged a nano-blade across the fabric of the suit, then held up its dulled edge for Dragon to see. "Their technology is simply _amazing_. This suit is older than human civilization, and yet it's virtually indestructible. I've tested out some of my weapons on it, using sensors to indicate what attacks a wearer could survive. You could get away with a large bruise after getting shot with a fifty-caliber rifle."

"That doesn't make any sense," Dragon replied. "Even if the suit managed to deflect the penetrative effects of the rifle, your insides would still get turned into jelly from the sheer amount of kinetic energy involved."

Colin allowed himself a small grin. "That's one of the cape's functions. The suit is somehow able to transfer the kinetic energy to the cape, where it's converted into heat and radiated through the nano-scale mesh. There would still be some residuals, hence the bruising, but it's a far cry from getting torn in half."

"Fascinating," Dragon murmured. "If I could apply that same technology to my own suits..."

"You'd be nearly invincible," Colin finished. "Only the most powerful beings on the planet could hold a chance of hurting you at that point." He sighed. "Of course, that would still take years of research."

"Even a crude reverse-engineering would still be helpful for the fight against Scion."

Colin shrugged. "Fair enough." He rose to his feet, then pulled the suit from the workshop table. "It would work fine against others as well."

"What do you mean by that?" Dragon inquired. "We're supposed to be focused on Scion, not that conspiracy group."

"That could be years away," Colin retorted. "And I'm not talking about those whackjobs. I'm talking about what's going on in Brockton Bay, what with the recovery efforts and all. I've been in the business long enough to see that crime rates skyrocket after disasters, especially ones that damage infrastructure and electronics."

"Well, Superwoman can handle that. We have something more important to handle."

"Taylor _could_ work on the city, but there are even worse things going on at the same time," came Colin's reply. "She'll be too busy elsewhere to be able to _really_ fight the criminal elements of the city. Taylor's a symbol of hope, and that is great for those who are in desperate need of it, but there are those who don't _want_ hope."

He pulled the suit on, taking note of how comfortable it was, then turned to the table. The rest of his gear was there, ready for testing. Some of it still incomplete, the coverings unfinished, but it would suffice. The black gloves came first, sliding over his hands. He had to fashion his own, after seeing that the Kryptonian ones had an extra finger each. After those were one, he grabbed the tool-harness and slipped it about his waist. There were a multitude of tools inside, both alien and his own. The halberd would have been useful, but it was too recognizable, too _unwieldy_ for independent work. Clicking it into place, he set to work on the thin computer built into the suit, making a few adjustments to the fabric's pigmentation. In a few seconds, the uniform had turned a dark grey.

"You mean the _real_ criminals," Dragon said. "Rapists, serial killers, amoral gang-lords, that sort of thing. I can see why they wouldn't care for what Superwoman brings, but what does that have to do with stopping Scion?"

"It serves two purposes, really. The first is that we can test out our gear, try and see what works and what _doesn't_. A trial run, I suppose."

He grabbed the last item on the table, a black helmet. He had ripped out most of the equipment from his old one and simply gave it a new covering, using a nano-fabber. He turned it about in his hands, giving it one final once over.

"The second is that the city _needs_ protection while Superwoman saves the world. The dark scum lurking in Brockton don't really see the need for hope, but they do feel _fear_. It will keep them in line, make sure that they don't do anything _too_ dangerous. But the problem is, Armsmaster wouldn't be able to do that. He's a commercial figure, one that makes appearances for charities and sells action figures to support his lab, _predictable_. The monsters in the city don't fear Armsmaster."

He slipped the helmet over his head.

"They'll be afraid of _me_," he growled.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"It's getting dark," Caroline muttered, glancing about the street. Most of the windows were still knocked out, giving the neighborhood an almost condemned look. "I don't think we should be out here, Joseph."

"I know, baby, but it's only a few more minutes until we arrive at my place."

Caroline pressed against Joseph and shivered. "And my place is even closer. Come on, I'd rather miss some binge-watching if it meant I didn't end up shanked in an alleyway."

There was a brief pause, and Joseph sighed. "Fine, let's head back."

As they turned around, however, they suddenly realized that someone was standing in their peripheral vision. _Several _someones, finally making themselves known as they inched closer to the pair. They were all dressed in rather unkempt clothing, their faces smudged with dirt. They formed a half-circle as they drew nearer, muttering amongst themselves.

"This is bad," Joseph whispered. He nudged towards Caroline's right. "Come on, if we move there-"

A rough hand took hold of his shoulder from behind and jerked him back, nearly causing him to lose his balance. He turned in time to receive a punch to the stomach, and he fell to his knees, wheezing. He heard Caroline scream behind him, but it almost sounded distant through the haze in his head, like she was a street away.

"Wallet an' phone," the thug said. Fishing into his pocket, he produced a switchblade, and pointed it at Joseph's face. "I don't have all day."

"Okay, okay," Joseph panted, reaching into his pockets. "Just please, please don't hurt us."

"That isn't for ya ta decide, ya fuckwit," the thug growled. He glanced over at Caroline, who had backed up against the wall as the other thugs drew nearer. "She don't look half bad, don't ya think? Mind if we borrow her?"

"Don't hurt her!" Joseph snapped. He lunged at the thug, only to receive a blow to the face. He sprawled against the concrete, vaguely aware of the pain in his cheek. He watched as the thug knelt beside him, his eyes barely open.

"Well, we didn't need your permission anyway."

That was when a small pellet suddenly dropped between them, smoke trailing behind it as it descended. The smoke expanded rapidly, engulfing the two of them and obscuring the street from sight. The thug backpedaled away from Joseph's prone form, muttering a string of obscenities under his breath, only to scream as a dark shape descended upon him. There was a meaty thwack as something hard hit human flesh, and the shadow disappeared with a flutter of what appeared to be black wings, leaving the unconscious thug behind it.

There were more screams now, and Joseph craned his neck to try and see what was happening. He only got vague glimpses as the monstrous shadow appeared and reappeared, taking more victims into the depths of the smoke with each showing. One of the thugs pulled out a revolver and began to fire wildly at nothing, only for a shuriken-like blade to suddenly appear in his hand. Panicking, he ran in Joseph's direction, only for _it_ to appear from behind, hooking a dark arm around his neck. In that brief moment, as the thug was dragged back into the smoke, Joseph saw a pair of glowing white eyes, and nothing else.

There was only silence now. Joseph attempted to rise to his feet, only to sprawl down once more as the pain overtook him. Darkness fell over him, and he felt cold fingers press against his throat.

"You'll be fine," a harsh voice said in his ear. "Beat up pretty badly, but nothing life-threatening. The authorities are already on their way."

There was a small sound as a black cloak fluttered over him, and he realized that it had left.

The smoke began to clear, revealing the prone forms of the attackers. Joseph managed to get into a sitting position, a hand clutching his ribs, and he watched as police lights appeared in the distance. Something moved in his peripheral vision, and he turned in time to see Caroline kneel beside him, a look of concern on her face.

"Are you okay?" she panted, putting a hand on his arm. Aside from a tear in her jacket sleeve, she looked none the worse for wear. "When that _thing_ appeared, I was so worried.."

"I'm fine," he croaked. "Just a little roughed up, that's all."

Caroline swept the street with her eyes, searching. "What the hell was that thing? A cape?"

"Think so. Looked pretty freaky, if you ask me. Almost like some giant bat or something."

Caroline sat down beside him, leaning against his shoulder. "Well, at least we're okay, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Joseph replied. "So much for our night out, huh?"

Despite herself, Caroline managed a chuckle.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Not bad for a first night out with new equipment," Dragon commented.

"I suppose so," Colin said, watching from a rooftop as the police cars arrived at the scene. "Still, it needs work. I shouldn't have let that man get a few shots off like that; I have to be faster next time."

"Well, that _is_ the purpose of a trial run," Dragon replied. "This is good work you're doing, on both counts. I'm already working on the data we gleamed from that incident so we can improve your tools, and that's eight less thugs that can menace the streets while Brockton Bay recovers from the Nine."

"What's next on the agenda, then?" Colin asked. "Anything else going on in the city?"

"According to PRT files, nothing notable. I think you should come back to the lab, at least so you can get some sleep. I'll keep on working while you rest."

Colin sighed. "That sounds like a good plan. Where's the shuttle now?"

"A few klicks from your position; I'm sending the data to your helmet now."

The HUD in his helmet changed accordingly, showing a 3-D map of the city. Allowing himself a small smile, he took off, gliding over the rooftops like a gentle breeze.

It had been good work. Good enough.

**A/N: I have a feeling this will be a controversial chapter, don't you think? Let's be honest here, how many of you were actually expecting me to follow through on those Batman jokes?**


	44. Hope 8-4

"When I gave you permission to borrow a suit," I said, eyeing Colin up and down, "I never expected for you to do _this_."

"It's a work in progress," he replied, not even looking up to face me as he tinkered with a few tools. His helmet was to the side, its innards exposed. "Dragon and I are giving some of our equipment a field run; it will let us see where we can improve on them. Accuracy, reliability, those sort of things."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just do the test runs here?"

Colin looked up, his brow furrowed. Suddenly, a smirk formed at the corner of his mouth. "We could, but where's the fun in that?" He turned his attention back to the tools he was working on. "Besides, it has the extra benefit of cleaning up the city when you're elsewhere."

"Fair point," I said with a shrug. I glanced down at the tools on his table, arching an eyebrow. "What are you working on, anyway?"

"Nanothorns," he replied, grabbing one of the gadgets. It was like a gauntlet of sorts, with three scalloped blades on its side. He slide it onto his right arm, then activated it with a slight gesture. A haze surrounded the blades, and as I peered closer, I realized that there was actually a cloud of smaller edges severing the molecules in the air. Getting up from the chair, he lashed out at a metal crate resting on the table with the gauntlet, dragging the blades across the corner. There was a spray of dust, and the blades tore a neat gash into the crate.

"That's kinda scary," I said as he sat back down and deactivated the blades. "What's the toughest stuff it can cut through?"

"Not sure yet. Theoretically, it should be able to cut through all but the toughest materials. Probably wouldn't reach an Endbringer's core, considering what you learned about them, but it'd get pretty damn close. I'd need to do additional testing before I could be sure, however."

"Any other issues?" I asked. "We might be able to help you out."

"Takes up a lot of power, but it shouldn't be a problem with those Kryptonian fuel cells we fabricated." He hefted the gauntlet, eyeing it intensely. "Probably wouldn't do well against extreme heat, either; it'd melt the material the blades are made of. I need to work on that, try and see if I can use a more heat resistant material."

"There's probably a few alloys we could find in the archives that'd do the trick," I said. "They had pretty good nanotechnology."

"Maybe," he murmured, rubbing his beard absentmindedly. He stopped, suddenly. "You keep on saying that, you know. 'They', as though the Kryptonians aren't your people. Why is that?"

"Well, it's because they really aren't," I replied, taking a seat. "I mean, I was born there, but I don't even remember the place. Until a few months ago, the only name I had was Taylor Hebert. My parents were Danny and Annete Hebert. I grew up in Brockton Bay. I went to Shuster Preschool. I didn't even know what Krypton _was_, so how can I suddenly consider it home?"

"I suppose that's true." Colin turned back to the workshop table, prying the gauntlet open and poking around at its innards. "Anyway, has that conspiracy group reared its head since our last meeting?"

I shook my head. "No sign of them. They must be keeping their distance, especially now they probably know we're onto them." I wrung my hands, looking down at them. "They're still probably gathering people and experimenting on them, and I can't do a damn thing about it. It's just so _frustrating_."

"They'll get what's coming to them, once we've finished with Scion. The faster we do it, the less people they can hurt." He rose from his seat again, sighing. "I'm going to see what progress Dragon is making with her little projects. Maybe she can help with the nanothorns."

"I'll come with you," I said, springing to my feet as well.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Dragon was in the main hall of the ship, a massive laboratory already set up around her as she studied the small craft I had arrived in. The main hull of it had been carefully dismantled, leaving only the Phantom Drive. Several spider-like probes were skittering about it, analyzing the intricate machinery inside the engine. It was apparently active, as I could see a strange glow about it, vaguely like an aura.

As Colin and I stepped inside, one of her suits turned to face us. "Why, the Batman has come to visit me," she said with more than a touch of amusement in her voice.

"I've already heard that joke before," Colin grumbled. "It's starting to become a pain real quick."

"Well, that's what everyone back in Brockton is calling you now," Dragon said. "There's quite a buzz on Parahumans Online about "the Batman of Brockton Bay", and how he's restoring order to the worst-off areas of the city."

"When I wanted to become a bogeyman for the criminal underworld, I didn't intend to be a goddamn _bat_," Colin spat. "What's so scary about them, anyway? Most of them eat fruit, for pete's sake. They're nothing more than flying rodents."

The suit moved its shoulders up and down, an exaggerated shrug. "Well, a lot of people don't know much about bats, and tend to think of them as bloodsucking creatures of the night. The name's spreading fast, so at least you already have a reputation."

"Can't you do something about it? I know you're all the mods on the site; couldn't you twist it into something else?"

"I _could_," Dragon admitted, "but I find it hilarious. Enjoy being the bogeyman of Brockton Bay, Batman."

"Fucking ridiculous," I heard Colin mutter under his breath.

"So, just what are you doing?" I asked Dragon, interrupting any further discussion about the whole Batman thing.

"Right now? I'm working on the Phantom drive that brought you here. It's quite fascinating, really; it essentially warps a tunnel through the Source itself in order to travel faster than light. I'm working on expanding the effect it produces; the ship's AI is giving me counsel about it while I go. Basically, the main obstacle is the risk of tearing the engine apart with the stresses involved. I'm making some headway, but it's not an easy task."

"Developing interstellar travel is a pretty good thing, but how would it help against Scion?" I inquired. "A way to evacuate if everything goes pear-shaped?"

"Not quite," came her reply. "The Source isn't just the underlying fabric of reality; it's also what separates alternate universes from each other. If we could find a way to tunnel through it in _just_ the right way, like how Scion does it..."

"Then we could travel between universes," I finished, the realization finally hitting me. "We could go around the multiverse, looking for Scion's real body. If we could find it, we might be able to destroy him at the root."

"Exactly," Dragon said. "However..."

"However _what_?" Colin inquired. "I have a bad feeling where this is going."

"We still need to _find_ his body," she replied. "The multiverse, as we currently understand it, is not infinite, but it's still absolutely titanic. According to our most recent calculations, there is ten to the eighty universes at the _least_. That is one hundred million trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion Earths, places where he could be hiding his real body. That's not like finding a needle in a haystack; it's like trying to find one individual particle in the entire universe. Maybe worse than that, if our calculations are updated."

"Jesus Christ," I muttered, putting a hand to my head. I tried to conceive a number that big, thinking of an endless sea of Earths, each one its own world with its own history and people. I tried to imagine all those googols of lives, threatened by one single being, but I just _couldn't_. It was like trying to imagine what infinity itself was like, an impossible task.

"How the fuck are we going to find him, then?" Colin asked. "We could spend a million years looking for him and not get anywhere."

I thought about what he said, my gaze falling on the Phantom Drive. As I watched it emit that ethereal glow, a thought hit me. "Maybe not," I said.

Dragon tilted her head. It was almost comical to see a two-ton battlesuit do that, but I managed to suppress a chuckle as I continued. "The universes are not alike, right? Scion's able to tell them apart, otherwise he wouldn't be able to choose one to settle down on. The same goes for those capes plotting against him, since they can travel between realities and not get lost. That means there is a way to find out which universe is which, maybe based on how the portal tunnels through the Source."

"That is a good point," Colin muttered thoughtfully. "Perhaps we could identify the portal Scion uses, and replicate the effect or something... what do you say, Dragon?"

There was no reply from the suit. Peering closer, I saw that there was a flurry of activity going on in the suit's "brain", as well as the others.

"Dragon?" Colin asked again. "Dragon, what's wrong?"

The suit jerked its head back up. "There's a problem."

"What kind of problem."

Even before Dragon answered, I could almost _feel_ it. It's like that sense of danger everyone has, except magnified as to encompass the entire world in my case. Whether it be a snowstorm in Reykjavik, or the rustling of a single blade of grass in Kansas, everything was filtered through my senses, subtly influencing my perception in a myriad of infinitesimal and countless ways that I can never hope to describe. As I stood in the ship, waiting for Dragon's reply, it all felt _wrong_.

"Endbringer."

* * *

**S**

* * *

The clouds were swollen with coming rain when I gently touched down on the shores at the seaward edge of Sao Paulo. Dragon's prediction software still had kinks to work out; prediction times were unreliable within any more than a few days, but it was enough to give a few hours warning. Several local teams and gangs were already gathered in the city, erecting defenses and preparing fallback routes if the fighting went bad. The Protectorate was there as well, dropping off capes via shuttles. Dragon had already landed nearby, with Colin in tow.

With more than a little disgust, I noted that Alexandria and Eidolon were among the gathered heroes. They didn't seem too happy to see me, either; I wryly noted that they were probably still raw over the trashing I had given them just three weeks back. I paid them no heed, however, as I walked towards the main crowd of capes gathered behind a large wall. It had just been erected by a tinker for this fight; I could see the dance of electromagnetic radiation along the edges of the forcefield surrounding it.

My arrival seemed to have an effect on the atmosphere of the gathered capes when I arrived, becoming more upbeat as more and more saw me. One of them even whistled a cheer as I strolled towards the heart of the group, the crowd parting to let me through. Legend smiled and walked over to me, a hand extended.

"It's good to see you here," he said, shaking my hand firmly.

"Likewise," I replied, uncertain.

I studied him as he broke away and turned to the rest of the capes gathered. Was he in on the conspiracy, like Alexandria and Eidolon? Or was he just a hapless pawn, a well-meaning man who had been unwittingly used in their schemes?

He cleared his throat, breaking my reverie. "First of all, I would like to give my thanks to Dragon for giving us enough time to prepare," he said, nodding in the direction of the main battlesuit. Several smaller ones were surrounding it, forming a defensive perimeter. "We've had time to gather our forces for this assault, and we have none other than the killer of Behemoth herself among us."

Alexandria translated Legend's speech into Portuguese, and suddenly I felt everyone turn their gaze to me. Hero, villain, independent, they all stared right at me when Legend and Alexandria spoke. Some had a near sense of reverence in their eyes, while others had looks of discomfort, even fear. Most, however, simply had a look of unadulterated awe on their faces. It was uncomfortable, being the center of attention like that, and I realized that many of them probably saw me as their only hope of survival.

"Of course, that does not mean we can all just rest easy for this fight," Legend continued. "Leviathan is no less dangerous than the other Endbringers, despite his reputation as the middle child. He is not as cunning as the Simurgh, nor is he the juggernaut that Behemoth _was_, but that does not make him harmless. Leviathan's main ability is macro-hydrokinesis, the ability to manipulate water on a scale vaster than any recorded parahuman. He can, and _will_, use that ability to bombard the city with tsunamis of increasing strength. If he is not stopped or killed in time, this city will be utterly swept away by him."

I noted that he actually said "killed". That was a word that had never come up in regards to the Endbringers without being seen as some ill-timed comedian. They were seen more as un-killable forces of nature, something that could only be driven off with great loss.

Until the last attack, that is.

"Of course, there is more to Leviathan than just his ability to manipulate water. He is a fierce combatant in close quarters, and he is by far the fastest of the Endbringers. While swimming, he can outpace virtually any known cape, and he is still fast enough to run at half the speed of sound while above the water. Finally, you must not underestimate his intelligence. I have seen far too many defenders slaughtered because they assumed him to be nothing more than a dumb animal."

There was a crack of thunder that rolled across the city, shaking the very earth itself. The clouds finally relieved themselves, rapidly drenching the city in pouring rain that seemed to be more like a waterfall than anything else. I turned to the sea, narrowing my eyes as I searched for him.

He wasn't hard to find. In the previous attacks, he always waited until the last second before he emerged from under the waves to tear into the defenders. Here, however, he stalked over the frothing waves as though he was on solid ground. Four green eyes stared back at me from over a mile away, glowing through the torrential downpour, and a whiplike tail flicked about as Leviathan moved towards us.

"He wasn't supposed to be here yet," Legend murmured, his gaze also fixated on the distant form of the Endbringer. "This isn't right."

Someone behind us shouted in Portuguese, pointing to the sky. I didn't need to follow where his finger was pointed; I could already hear the soft whooshing sound as feathered wings sliced through the rain-choked air. I looked up to see a beautiful woman fluttering down from the clouds, her alabaster flesh eerily bright in the overcast lighting. A multitude of asymmetrical wings surrounded her body, giving a false sense of modesty as she stared down at us with utterly expressionless eyes.

The Simurgh descended.


	45. Eschaton 9-1

Everything became quiet as the Simurgh gently alighted to the ground, save for the continuous roar of the rain. In a matter of seconds, the situation had gone from manageable to disastrous, and everyone knew it. The Simurgh unfurled her outer wings, casting an almost angelic image as she stood before the frothing surf, her impassive face scanning the gathered defenders.

Then she raised a hand, and all hell broke loose.

I was the first to lash out at her, rocketing from the ground like a bullet as I rushed towards her waif-like form. The individual raindrops seemed to freeze in midair as I rapidly built up speed, and I entered that strange state of mind that came with the slowing of the world, as though I were in a strange dream. With my arms raised, I punched through the small wing covering her chest, tearing away the superdense layers of crystalline flesh like they were nothing more than tin foil as I continued forward.

Slamming into the main body of the Simurgh, I shoved her out to sea with the remaining momentum of that first push. We flew out over the stormy Atlantic, then careened right into the water, sending a plume spraying hundreds of feet into the air. We sank deeper and deeper into the vast sea, stopping only when we smashed into the ocean floor, a massive cloud of silt rising around us.

As everything returned to its normal pace, the Simurgh finally reacted, lashing out at me with her other wings. They battered against me, their edges as strong as hardened steel, but I refused to budge as I began tearing into her alabaster flesh, casually scooping away the outer layers with cupped hands. The water was soon clouded with the Simurgh's superfluous ichor, and I focused my vision, searching for her core.

There. Unlike Behemoth, who had his core deep in his chest, the Simurgh's core was located within the outermost join of her largest wing. I focused my attentions there, ripping away large hunks of crystalline material, but I noted with disdain that it was already getting tough to damage. I weighed my options, planning my next move. I could simply go for the core right then and there, but there was the problem of accidentally tearing everything within fifty miles of us to shreds as a result. I needed to get her to a remote location, a place where I didn't need to worry about collateral damage...

My train of thought was derailed when Leviathan slammed into me like a house-sized bullet, visibly parting the sea above us with the force of the impact as he swam away from the Simurgh's damaged form, carrying me with him in one of his huge hands. Within a heartbeat we were back at the coastline, and he shot upwards, breaking through the waves as we practically soared into the heart of the city.

He was _fast_.

I broke free of Leviathan's grip as we fell, bending one of his fingers awkwardly in the process. Ducking out from underneath him, I took hold of his tail and began to spin him about, gathering momentum as I went. His water echo expanded, swallowing me up and pouring down on the streets beneath us, but I paid it no attention as I finally let go. Leviathan rocketed back out towards the sea, a sonic boom sounding in his massive wake as he disappeared over the horizon.

I was faster.

I was about to go after him when something else caught my eye. The Simurgh finally rose above the waves, shaking water out of her wings as she fixated her gaze on me. She was practically bisected, with only a sliver of pearly flesh supporting her limp legs, and ichor oozed from the deep wounds I had torn into her largest wing. Flapping her wings, she sped towards the coast of the city, not even bothering to cover up her mangled body.

I narrowed my eyes at her, letting that burning _heat_ build up behind my eyes, then released it. Twin beams of scarlet light raked her across the stomach, slicing away the string of flesh supporting her lower body. The Simurgh seemed to give no reaction as her legs plummeted into the water, save for an twist to the left as she attempted to cover her maimed wing. I pressed on, burning away more and more of her crystalline flesh as I tried to blast my way to her core.

My efforts were interrupted when the first tsunami appeared, towering a good twenty feet above the water level as it rushed towards the coastline. Letting the heat fade from my eyes, I rushed towards it, whizzing past the Simurgh as I went. Taking in a deep breath, I pursed my lips and exhaled with as much force as I could muster. A cone of supercooled air struck a section of the wave, freezing it solid almost instantly, and I flew along the length of the massive wall of water, practically stopping it in its tracks. The frozen wave shattered into several large chunks, and began to gently bob in the waves.

That was when Leviathan shot out of the surface, poised for an attack. He lashed out with his tail, catching me in the stomach, then spun about in midair, turning himself into an improvised trebuchet. I shot out back towards the city, then arrested my momentum and rocketed towards him before he could hit the water again. I grabbed him by the head, digging deep furrows into his flesh with my fingers as I did so, then threw him towards the beach. He smashed into the ground with tremendous force, kicking up wet sand as a small crater formed about him.

I was about to strike at him again when I heard a commotion going on in the city. Turning my head, I saw that the Simurgh was flying about the streets, flinging small buildings and chunks of the streets at her pursuers. Computers and other pieces of hardware were orbiting about what remained of her body, pulling apart and recombining as she continued to put distance between her and the defending capes.

She was making a weapon.

I found myself at a crossroads. Should I focus on Leviathan, and finish him off before he could flood the city, or should I try and stop the Simurgh before she could enact her usual "win the battle, lose the war" type of scenarios? Neither choice was very palatable, considering the consequences each one had.

I needed to decide quickly. Already Leviathan was getting back on his feet, water sloshing about him as he stared up at me. Only one of his eyes still had that eerie glow, and he was covered from head to to in gashes and tears that revealed the inner layers underneath. It was all superficial, of course, but would it be enough to make him retreat?

Before I could get my answer, one of Dragon's suits smashed into the Endbringer, sending him tumbling into a storm wall with enough force to break it cleanly in half. He rose to his feet again, only to get hit in the chest with a blue plasma beam that forced him back, completely pushing him through the wall.

The suit rose on its hind legs, smoke still rising from between its jaws. A tiny slide opened up, revealing a speaker.

"We can keep Leviathan busy for at least a few minutes. You need to get the Simurgh away from here; I'm already receiving very stressful telemetry from the defenders because of her scream. If we don't beat her off soon, the battle's lost, no matter what we do."

Leviathan vaulted over the wall, his water echo trailing behind him as he smashed into Dragon head on. She stood her ground, however, and began to grapple with him. A bloom of infrared light began to emanate from her throat, and she blasted him with the plasma again.

"Go!"

I flew back into the heart of the city, where the Simurgh was still working on her weapon. Most of the capes were elsewhere, fighting copies she had made from finely altered debris. She drifted almost serenely through the streets, ichor still gushing freely from where I had severed her lower body. A ring of rubble floated lazily around the Endbringer, making for extra cover in case someone _did_ actually find her.

It was enough to hide from the others, but not enough to hide from me.

She seemed to be more prepared for me this time; whatever she used to predict actions was getting more used to me, if only by a little. She focused the rubble into a large circle as I charged at her; I clipped the edge of it as I slammed into her chest. We smashed into the street, tearing a massive furrow into the asphalt as I pushed her, my hands still clawing at the new flesh growing over her wounds. Changing tactics, I grabbed her by the throat and pulled upwards, dragging her into the sky with me.

We soared higher and higher, quickly breaking the sound barrier as we rose through the rainclouds and into the upper levels of the stratosphere. The Simurgh struggled all the way, viciously battering me with her wings, but I held on tight. The air grew thinner and thinner as we flew, and I felt a now-familiar pressure behind my fingernails and eyes as the atmosphere became virtually nonexistent.

Finally, there was total silence as we broke the surly bonds of the Earth and entered orbit, the city far beneath us. I slowed down a bit, letting the unadulterated sunlight warm me as I planned my next step. The Simurgh still struggled against me, frozen ichor drifting away from her throat as she attempted to rip herself free of my grip.

I needed to get her away from anything she could seriously use against me. Even fighting in orbit was potentially risky; there were still plenty of satellites for her to manipulate into weapons. Perhaps she would even attempt to divert my attention by turning them into kinetic kill vehicles, sending them tumbling down into population centers at Mach 10. I needed to go even farther from the planet, but where...

The realization hit me. _Of course_.

Tightening my grip about her throat, I set a course for the Moon.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Leviathan dashed through the streets of Sau Paulo, foot-high waves still sloshing against his feet from the previous tsunami. A single flying artillery cape flew in his way, pelting him with fireballs, only to get swatted out of the sky with an almost lazy flick of the Endbringer's tail.

_Adamastor deceased, CD-5._

It would be some time before the defending capes located him again. They were still reeling from the presence of his sibling, and the latest wave did little to help them. The sheer size of the city, coupled with the limited visibility caused by the torrential rainstorm, made for excellent stealth.

He paused, his head twitching about at random as he searched the streets for any more capes. It was strangely quiet; the pouring rain dampened all the sounds of life, and it seemed that everyone had long since abandoned the section he was in. The waves smashed into his ankles with greater force than before, a sign that another tsunami had struck the coastline.

Leviathan turned to run down another street, only for something to slice deep into his ankles as he started forward. The Endbringer fell forward, his face smashing into the waterlogged tarmac with a wet thud. Twisting about, he saw that a blurry cord had wrapped about his legs, turning his outer flesh into dust wherever it touched. He pulled it off, skinning his shins to the bone in the process, then stooped to examine it.

A blade suddenly lodged into his shoulder, sinking in completely before detonating. Ichor sprayed out of the wound, staining the waterlogged streets black before the rains washed it away. He pressed a large hand against the wound, probing the damage with its broken finger, then traced the path the blade had taken.

A figure stood on the street not more than thirty feet away from him, its dark form obscured in the rain. It appeared to be wearing armor of some sorts, though it was hard to discern at that distance. The figure stepped forward, reaching for more blades.

"I've been training to fight you and your siblings for years," it said. "Studying your powers and tactics."

Leviathan lunged forward with alarming speed, only for the figure to fire a grappling hook at a building behind the Endbringer and swing over his head. More blades sank into his shoulder, tearing into the outer flesh there with alarming ease. Fresh ichor oozed down Leviathan's back, diluting his water echo.

"The other capes are still disorganized by the Simurgh," the figure continued. "For now, at the very least, it's just the two of us."

Leviathan twisted and swiped at the figure with a clawed hand, his water echo filling in the space as he swung. The figure narrowly dodged the attack and lashed out, carving a massive hunk of flesh from the Endbringer's arm in the process. It backflipped away, its black cape fluttering as it landed on its feet. The water echo rushed at it, only to be vaporized by another weapon.

"I've watched your attacks elsewhere, feeding them into prediction programs. Still needs work, but it will do for now. You've killed far too many to be allowed to live, _abomination_."

The Batman pulled out another pair of blades.

"If you want to sink this city, you're going to have to go through _me_," he snarled.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this update. Coming up next, it's Leviathan vs. the Batman!**


	46. Eschaton 9-2

It was quiet en route to the Moon. The Simurgh still struggled against me, of course, but it was a quiet struggle; there was no air to transmit the sound that would normally be heard. Considering how much my senses already defied the laws of physics, I probably _could_ hear something, but I decided to brush that thought out of my head as we neared the lunar surface. I had only been to the Moon once, back when I finished the base that Sphere had started, but it was enough to give me a great deal of familiarity with the surroundings.

There was a mountain range within the general direction we were flying in, the _Montes Archimedes_, I recalled. It towered over the flat lava plains that covered so much of the Moon's surface, making for a beautiful contrast. We slammed into the side of it, plowing through hundreds of feet of hard basalt before smashing into the ground behind the mountains. A thin cloud of regolith rose where we hit the ground, falling back down in neat parabolic arcs without an atmosphere to blow them away as we practically skipped across the surface for miles.

The Simurgh was not holding up well to the punishment I was putting her through. Most of her remaining "body" was gone, torn away by the sheer force of the impact and leaving only a mangled head along with her largest wing. Ichor practically poured from the ragged and charred stump, simultaneously freezing and vaporizing as they slowly fell in the Moon's low gravity. Rising above me, the Simurgh glared with one remaining eye, her jaw hanging open loosely. The powdery regolith around us swirled intermittently, as though she was testing how it would work with her power.

All at once, she shot them forward, transforming the lunar soil into a flechette storm billions strong. They pattered against me like a soft rain, trying to find purchase in anything they could find. Jagged pieces of rock scraped across my eyeballs and into my ear canals, hoping to find even a minor weak point. It was a clever attack, and I was suddenly grateful for how permeating my invulnerability was.

I launched out of the new crater we had made, catching the joint between her wing and maimed shoulder with both of my fists. Here, in the frictionless vacuum of space, I had to worry even less about the risks of drag. The particles slowed as I sped up; I could see each individual speck begin to move as though they were in water, gradually stilling to the point of virtual motionlessness. The Simurgh hung frozen above me, like a worn and cracked statue of the finest marble. Here I was, in a heated battle that could decide the fate of countless lives, and I felt almost _serene_, standing there in a world only I could perceive.

I swung my fist in a vicious uppercut that collided with the Simurgh's chin, plowing through the crystalline flesh of her head like it wasn't even there. At that speed, straddling the line between the insane physics of relativity and the unknown world that lay beyond the speed of light, the material was simply reduced to the most elementary of particles. A flare of blinding light slowly crept from the point of impact, turning the regolith around us into a dull-red slag as it shone like a miniature sun.

I lashed out with my other fist, striking the even harder material around the core as I pounded the Endbringer into the ground. A massive crater slowly formed around us as I tore away the hyper-dense flesh protecting the _real_ Simurgh, the artfully developed construct around her giving way like a light mist with every relativistic punch I threw at the smooth sphere hidden within. The crater around us expanded even further, exposing the silicate rock of the lunar mantle beneath us.

Finally, the core was all that remained of her. The Endbringer was still active; I could actually _see_ the warping of universal forces as she slowly reacted to my attack, attempting to telekinetically fling nearby boulders in our direction. It was strange, seeing the maelstrom of swirling energies and materials within the physics-defying structure of the core, but I gave little thought to it as I raised my hand and landed the final blow.

Compared to the sheer violence of Behemoth's death, it was a far more underwhelming event. There was one last flare of strange energies as the core neatly cracked in two, and that was it.

The Simurgh, the Ziz, the Destroyer of Lausanne and the terror of the world, was no more.

I let the halves of the core drop the ground, watching as they slowly fell and submerged in the reheated magma of the mantle. Looking at my hands, I noted the livid red bruises on my knuckles. The sting of it was finally reaching my brain, and I winced as I rubbed them gingerly. Still better than last time, all things considered.

Rising into the utterly silent void, I surveyed the damage beneath me. The crater was massive, but not quite to the extent of the most prominent ones found on the surface. Someone could make it out with the naked eye; a person with binoculars would definitely be able to see it. Turning slightly, I saw that the crater had formed at the edge of Lacus Spei.

Huh. Fitting.

There was no time to survey the damage any more, however. Even then, as the Simurgh lay broken on the Moon, Leviathan was trying to sink São Paulo into the Atlantic. Dusting myself off, I soared away from the crater I had made and began the flight back to Earth.

I hoped I wasn't too late.

* * *

**S**

* * *

_Earlier_

Leviathan charged again, tearing up the pavement as he rapidly dashed down the street, his water echo trailing behind him like a narrow tidal wave. The Batman grappled to one of the alleyways before the Endbringer could smash him into the pavement, then threw another nanothorn blade for good measure as he hurriedly rappelled up the wall. It imbedded deeply in Leviathan's sole remaining eye, dust flying wherever the countless nano-structure made contact. A brief moment passed, then the blade exploded, taking out even more flesh in the process.

"I know you can see me," the Batman said. "Whatever your fleshy construct is made out of, it acts as an all-encompassing sensory organ, doesn't it? You just trick people into thinking you need the eyes to see."

As if to respond, Leviathan looked up at him . Ichor gushed from where the Endbringer's last eye had been, clouding water as it dripped into the flooded pavement below. Twisting his body, Leviathan sprung at the building, easily smashing through the flimsy brick holding it up. His water echo hit the crumbling structure a moment later, washing the entire bottom floor away in a fearsome deluge. The Batman hopped to the next building, narrowly missing the Endbringer's whiplike tail.

"I don't think I can actually kill you, unfortunately. Not after what I learned about you and your siblings, anyway; your inner layers and core are too dense for the thorns to slip between and sever molecular bonds."

He jumped to the street below, using his cape to slow his descent as he landed with a splash. The rain was becoming even fiercer now, hiding everything but Leviathan and the buildings from sight. The shattered pavement was frothing with the sheer fury of the storm, and he could feel the force of the water weighing him down. The suit he wore wouldn't get soaked, but the lack of visibility was beginning to limit his mobility. He would need to rely more and more on his visor to navigate the alleys and old brick structures around him, but it still wouldn't let him move with impunity.

It was a problem the Endbringer wouldn't share.

Leviathan pulled himself free of the wreckage, shaking rubble off of his massive form as he turned to face the Batman. He took a step forward, his head still twitching as he crouched down with eerie gracefulness. He was beginning to fight more cautiously now, trying to find an opportunity instead of charging wildly. The ground between them began to rattle, producing a low hum.

"I know what you're trying to do," the Batman panted. "You're trying to use the storm sewers against me." He reached inside his cape, then threw a handful of nanothorn blades into the street. There was a staccato of muffled detonations, and the pavement sagged ever-so-slightly. "I won't let that work."

Leviathan lept, rapidly crossing the space between the two of them. The Batman retaliated by rolling underneath the Endbringer, firing a grapple line up in Leviathan's path as he did so. The cord suddenly froze mid-flight, imbued with a time-stopping force. Leviathan attempted to twist out of the way, but it was too late. The cord cut deep into his steely flesh, slicing through his limbs and chest with alarming ease.

"That's an application of a teammate's power. Takes a considerable amount of energy, but I can spare plenty."

There was a low groaning sound, and Leviathan pulled himself free of the time-locked grapple, slicing even more flesh away in the process. A massive scoop had been take out of his chest, revealing the inner "bone" underneath, and one of his arms was nearly severed at the elbow, dangling from a ropey cord of flesh. Ichor flowed freely from Endbringer's hollowed-out torso, staining the street black as it clouded the water. Leviathan put a hand in the wound, feeling out the damage with his good arm, then calmly turned.

"Stop playing your sick game," the Batman growled. "I know that's just a scratch to you. I'll have to do far more than that if I really want to make you hurt."

He moved on the offensive now, forcing the Endbringer to backpedal with more nanothorn blades to the face. While Leviathan was distracted by that, he grappled to a corner of a nearby building and let it pull him forward. Activating the thorns on his gauntlets, he managed to lash out at the Endbringer's damaged arm, ripping at the flesh still supporting the limb.

Leviathan's arm fell to the ground.

There was a brief silence as the Batman climbed onto the rooftop, soon broken by the roar of another wave as it swept into the city. Leviathan's posture changed, showing none of the slight signs of weakness from before as he rose to its full height. Without even turning to look, the Endbringer lashed out with his tail, pulverizing the entire front of the building in a heartbeat. The Batman managed to glide away before he was pulled down with the crumbling structure, only for a clawed hand to slam into his side like a truck and send him into the street.

"I see you're taking this seriously now," he grunted as he rose to his feet. The suit had worked as intended, absorbing the energy of the impact, but he could still feel a bruise forming around his ribs. Gritting his teeth, he reached back into his tool belt. "So am I."

Leviathan lunged, moving even faster than before. The Batman backflipped away as a clawed foot barely missed pounding him into the pavement, then carved away a hunk of its flesh with his gauntlets. He moved on the offensive, tearing away even more flesh as he ran up Leviathan's shin and tangled the Endbringer's pelvis with a grappling cord. Hopping away, he activated the time-lock again, noting as the cord struggled to cut into the flesh around the base of the tail.

"That must be where your core is, isn't it? _That _is you, not the monster you control as a puppet of your own creation. Useful to know."

The grappling-line dug deeper towards the core, then suddenly lost its time-locked properties. Leviathan flailed about wildly, tearing the cord away from his wounds like an injured animal as he rounded on the Batman. He let his water echo rush in front of him, nearly catching the caped hero in its wake, then lashed out with his tail again. The steel-like tip of it struck the Batman in the chest, sending him flying back into a wall.

Leviathan moved slowly again, purposeful as he stomped towards his prostrate opponent. His tail snaked forward, snaring the Batman in its vice-like coil, then lifted him up to eye level and began to squeeze. Steam began to rise where the rain touched the Tinker's cape as more and more energy was transferred through the suit. It would only be a matter of a minute or so before even the suit couldn't prevent its wearer from being crushed into a paste.

Despite it all, the Batman managed a chuckle as Leviathan tightened his grip.

"You didn't actually think I was trying to kill you, did you?" he wheezed, incredulous. "No... no, you dumb motherfucker, I was just distracting you."

A massive shape smashed into Leviathan, forcing him to let go of the Batman. The Endbringer twisted about, trying to bring his water echo into play, only for a blue beam to strike him in the chest and force him back into another building. The four-story structure, already weakened by repeated waves battering against it, collapsed on top of Leviathan, burying him under several tons of rubble.

"Not a very well thought-out plan, Colin," Dragon said, turning to face the Batman. Her battlesuit had several deep scuff marks and the occasional missing armored plate, but otherwise was still in prime fighting condition. "It was risky of you to fight him like that."

"It bought us time, didn't it?" He rose to his feet again, a hand on his ribs. "What's Superwoman's ETA?"

"Five minutes, maybe more, depending on how long it takes her to fight the Simurgh," came Dragon's reply. "Once again, stupid plan of yours."

"We can discuss it later," the Batman replied. He turned to look at where Leviathan was buried. Already the Endbringer was emerging from the crumbling remains of the building, ichor oozing from virtually every inch of its body. It rose to its feet slowly, hindered by the loss of its arm, and crouched in a springing position.

"In the meantime, however, let's slay a serpent."


	47. Eschaton 9-3

Amy paced the living room, a hand scrunched in her mousy brown hair. "We have to do something," she said softly to herself. "We can't just stand by while everyone else is over there, risking their lives and dying like that."

Mark sighed, leaning forward in his seat. "I know how you feel, sweetie," he said, "but we can't go there. Like I've said before, none of us were screened for the Simurgh; we can't risk having her turn us into time-bombs."

"Besides, chances are your girlfriend has it all under control," Vicky added, offering a weak grin. When she saw the look on her sister's face, however, she began to frown.

Amy stopped pacing and plopped down on the couch, a hand on her forehead. "What if she get's hurt? She nearly died fighting one, and now there's two of them out there. What if they pull out some new tricks or something else and actually threaten her?"

"She nearly died _killing _one," Vicky corrected. "The toughest one, too. Something tells me she can handle the other Endbringers with everyone's help."

"Just try to relax, sweetheart," Mark said, placing a firm hand on Amy's arm. "She's going to be just fine, trust me."

Vicky rose from her seat, smoothing out her skirt as she stood. "I'm going to grab a snack while we wait. You want anything?"

Amy shook her head. "I'm good, thanks."

A shrug. "Suit yourself."

Mark watched Vicky go, then turned back to Amy. "Don't beat yourself up about this. I know you want to go, but it's too dangerous for _any_ of us to go, not just you. It'll be for the best if we wait until everything's over, then head to help with the recovery efforts. Taylor would want you to be safe, wouldn't she?"

Amy fiddled with the hem of her uniform before continuing. "I guess."

"I'm glad to hear that," Mark replied, smiling. "Now, why don't we-"

He never finished the sentence. A sharp crack rang out from the kitchen, followed by a muffled thump as something fairly heavy hit the floor. Amy sprang from the couch, her heart pounding in her chest as she realized just _who_ had made that sound.

_Vicky_.

Mark was quick to his feet, an orb of light forming in both his hands as he moved in front of Amy. "Stay here!" he barked. "Call for Mom and the others!"

Amy watched as her father ran down the hall and turned into the kitchen, then fumbled for her phone and flipped it open. Just as she began to type in the PRT emergency number, however, there was another thump, louder than the first one, as someone else fell to the floor. Something too bright to look at zipped out of the doorframe and struck the ceiling, detonating in a brilliant flash. Flakes of ash and crumbled plaster fell from where the blast had hit, obscuring the hall in a cloud of dust.

There was a small pause after the brief fight had ended, then a woman emerged from the cloud, casually dusting herself off. She was older, perhaps Mark's age or so, but pretty in her own way, and dressed in a black suit tailored to fit her. A fedora was clutched in one hand, and a small pistol in the other.

Amy took a step back, the phone still clutched in her hand. "W-who are you? Why are you here?"

The woman looked at her with cold eyes, a blank expression on her face. "I know what you can do, and who you can call on," she said in rather clipped tone. "I do not intend to hurt you, if only because it would be foolish to anger the Kryptonian at such a crucial point, but do not test me with your biokinesis."

_She knows I'm with Taylor, and she knows my real powers_, Amy thought. She licked her lips, clutching the phone tighter. "What did you do to my sister? My dad?"

"They're alive, but disabled for the moment," the woman replied. "Both of them will be accompanying us."

A rectangular portal formed behind her, expanding until it was the size of a regular door. A long alabaster hallway came into view, and the woman gestured with the pistol.

"Where are you taking me?" Amy asked.

"A safe haven," the woman replied. "A place where we can weather the storm that is to come." 

**S**

Dragon attacked first, blasting Leviathan with more of her plasma beam as she charged forward. The Endbringer stumbled back from the assault, trying to regain his footing, only for fourteen tons of battlesuit to smash into his open chest and slamhim into the ground again. Dozens of small lasers strafed across Leviathan's body, vaporizing the weak flesh growing over his massive wounds and hindering his regeneration.

"The rest of me is coming over," Dragon said, pressing down on Leviathan. "I'll have the specialized drones and resupply carriers over here in thirty seconds."

The Batman nodded, pulling another pair of nanothorn blades out from his tool belt. He aimed carefully, scooping away even more of the flesh around the Endbringer's core. Most of Leviathan's lower body had been peeled way, his torso no thicker than a man's as ichor gushed freely from the inner layers of his body. He struggled wildly, trying to throw Dragon off of him, but the lack of an arm made the struggle much harder than it would have been but a few minutes earlier.

Another wave swept against their feet, stronger than the last one. Leviathan began to gather the large pools of water, transforming them into high-strength rams with his hydrokinesis and smashing them against Dragon. The battlesuit nearly lost its grip on the Endbringer, but it managed to hold on tight and vaporized the remaining water with lasers. A pair of massive thrusters on its shoulders activated, increasing the pressure holding Leviathan to the ground.

The rest of the drones arrived, flying in from over the tumbled and broken rooftops. Four of the bulkier ones swarmed around Leviathan and the battlesuit, unspooling lengths of incredibly thin cable, while a smaller one landed near the Batman and opened up, revealing more equipment.

"We have to hurry," Dragon warned. "I don't know how much longer I can hold him, and the next few waves will swamp our position."

"Understood," the Batman replied, grabbing more nanoblades and retrieving a large warhead. "You do realize that we might end up vaporizing São Paulo and a good chunk of the Brazilian coast if this doesn't work, right?"

"It's better than nothing. We can't depend on Superwoman when she's fighting the Simurgh up there; there are too many variables that can go wrong. If we don't hurry, there won't _be_ a São Paulo left."

The drones acted quickly, coiling Leviathan's remaining limbs with the cable while he still struggled against the weight of Dragon's battlesuit. Their microfusion reactors flared to life, providing the energy needed to lock the binds in time and render them inviolate to virtually any force. A fifth drone appeared above Dragon, wrapping a thicker length of cable around Leviathan's torso and timelocking it as well. The Endbringer flailed about with increased fervor, tearing deeper into the remaining flesh it had, but it was a futile gesture.

"Here goes nothing," Dragon said.

The battlesuit shifted its thrusters, blasting them down at the ground to provide lift. The free drones joined in as well, attaching themselves to the main suit as they all pulled upwards. There was a low groaning sound as Leviathan's body pulled involuntarily against the inviolate cords binding his body in place, the immense pressure overcoming the strength of his inner layers as they began to neatly slice apart.

There was one last snapping sound, and Leviathan's core pulled free of the rest of his body, a few large hunks of crystalline flesh still attached to it.

There was a brief pause as Dragon fully hoisted it out of the mutilated construct around it, then it began to vibrate between Dragon's paws, a smaller echo around it. More and more water began to pool around the core as it continued to move and expand its water echo, creating a positive feedback loop. Finally, it broke free of Dragon's grip, moving so quickly it almost seemed to be teleporting from one spot to another as it moved towards the end of the street.

"Hurry!" the Batman yelled, throwing several nanothorn blades in the direction of the core as it continued to gather more water about itself. "We can't let the fucker play keep away!"

The drones flying about were quick to act, firing more lasers at the thick streams of water swirling around the core and turning them into steam. Leviathan's true self rapidly zipped about within its shield of water, trying to counteract the losses incurred by each blast by expanding its echo further. The Batman added to the fray, reducing the core's moving space further with a barrage of nanothorn blades.

An alert beeped, coming from a nearby drone. "I'm detecting a massive wave forming a mile or so from the coast," Dragon said. "Looks like he's forgoing the normal buildup and focusing more energy on one big tsunami. We might have only a minute before he throws it at the city."

"How big?" the Batman asked, panting as he grabbed more nanothorn blades and threw them at Leviathan.

"Hard to guess at this point, but I'd say he's going for a record," Dragon replied. "The rest of the defenders are either trying to counteract the waves, too far to help, or dead."

"Can't you contact them?"

"Fucking Simurgh messed with the communcations. She probably saw this coming and wanted to extend the fight for as long as possible."

The Batman gritted his teeth. "We have to act, _now_."

They redoubled their efforts, soon reducing the amount of water around Leviathan's core to the size of a large beach ball. The timelocking drones flew forward, spooling thicker cable around the smooth black sphere. Within a matter of seconds, it was obscured from sight, bound tightly within specially designed cords. Water continued to seep through, however, and they knew it was only a temporary measure.

"How much longer until the wave hits?" the Batman inquired, grunting as he picked up the warhead again.

"Eidolon and Legend are out over the bay, trying to slow it down. Maybe a minute now."

"Right," the Batman muttered. He moved forward, the warhead in hand. Jamming it between two of the cable cords, he wrapped it in place with more of his grappling line, then hurried stepped back. "Do it, now!"

The cables froze, completely binding Leviathan within an inviolable prison. The warhead, however, continued its preplanned countdown.

"We need to cover it more if we want to reduce collateral damage," Dragon warned. "Freezing the initial layer of binding should buy us enough time."

The Batman turned seaward, his eyes narrowed behind the white lenses of his cowl as he watched the wave rise above the bay. "Time is not something we have."

Dragon paid no heed, instead focusing on completely swathing Leviathan's core in timelocked cable. "We're fighting an Endbringer, Colin. It's to be expected. Even if we do get washed away by the wave, at least we'll keep this fucker from doing it to anyone else, no?"

"I suppose so," he murmured, a frown on his face. "If we don't make this out alive, I just wanted you to know-"

There was an impossibly loud crack, rolling across the city like thunder. Even the rain itself seemed to tremble before the fury of the sound as something came soaring down from the heavens, parting the wave with its sheer power. A powerful gust of wind struck the two as they watched the wave forced back by a barely perceptible blur, steam rising wherever it brushed against the frothing water. It increased in ferocity, forming a massive funnel around the wave as it rose higher and higherinto the sky, dissipating the water into the sky.

_Superwoman_.

"Looks like the cavalry has arrived," Dragon said. The main battlesuit turned to look at the Batman. "What was it you were going to say, anyway?"

"Whuh? Oh, just something about it being an honor to work with you."

"Hmph."

The drones finished their work, covering Leviathan with several more layers of timelocked cable. Moving back, they rejoined with the rest of its brethren as Dragon and the Batman stepped away from the imprisoned form of the Endbringer.

"So, just what does that warhead have, anyway?" the Batman inquired. "You just said it had a high yield. Is it nuclear?"

The battlesuit tilted back slightly, an almost smug look on its face. "Oh, just a hundred grams of antimatter I synthesized with the Kryptonian batteries on the ship. I based the idea of it off of a so-called 'Casaba Howitzer'; it's quite-"

"What?" the Batman interrupted, his jaw agape. "You had me carrying something like that!"

"Well..." Dragon began, her tone almost like that of a kid caught sneaking a cookie out of the jar. "I mean, the containment system was pretty reliable..."

The sound of a muffled explosion halted any further discussion on the matter. Turning, they watched as the bindings around Leviathan swelled, almost threatening to burst from the strain of the massive energies blooming beneath. Then, all at once, the cords fell to the ground, their timelocked properties negated.

A few broken chunks of core fell with them.

There was a long silence as the two stared at Leviathan's remains, watching for any signs of life. A few more moments passed, and nothing happened still. Even the water echo had disappeared, closed off from whatever source the Endbringer had drawn it from.

"Holy shit," Dragon half-whispered, disbelief clear in her voice. "We actually did it."

"Yes we did," the Batman said in agreement, allowing himself a small grin. "I never fucking expected it to happen, but it did."

A shorter pause than before.

"We need to alert the others," Dragon said. "Try and see if we can get communications back online."

The Batman nodded. He walked over to the service drone, a hand on his utility belt as he drew more tools from it. As he set to work, his eyes turned skyward.

Perhaps, despite everything that was in their way, there _was_ a chance, a light at the end of it all. 

**S**

I gently settled on the ground where Leviathan had once been, studying the broken remnants of his core. It was like the pieces that remained of the Simurgh, devoid of that strange energy they possessed while alive. Satisfied that he wouldn't be pulling more tricks any time soon, I turned to Dragon and Colin, a small smile on my face.

"You did it," I said.

"Wasn't easy," Colin grumbled, a hand on his ribs. I saw that one of them had a hairline fracture, but he was otherwise okay. Not bad for someone who had just gone toe-to-toe with an Endbringer.

"What's the status of the Simurgh?" Dragon inquired.

"Dead," I replied. "She's just a pulverized core on the Moon, now. A bit easier than with Behemoth, but still not a walk in the park."

I absentmindedly rubbed my knuckles, surveying the landscape around us. There were great swaths of the city flooded by Leviathan's attack, as well as large holes in the streets where the Simurgh had uprooted buildings and hunks of pavement to use as artillery. Still, it was far better than what a city usually looked like after an Endbringer attack, I had to remind myself. We had a few hours warning to evacuate and fortify, which prevented the usual massive civilian casualties incurred by the fuckers.

_It could have been a lot worse, and now it won't happen again_.

"Rain's cleared," Colin commented, rubbing his face wearily as he looked skyward. "God, I felt like I was taking a cold shower."

"I wouldn't know what that feels like," Dragon commented. "I'd imagine it'd be pretty bad."

"Definitely an advantage of being a robot," Colin replied.

I chuckled to myself as they began to banter back and forth. The relief between the two was palpable; I could smell as Colin's adrenaline levels began to slowly crash after everything he had went through, after everything _we_ had went through. They had earned the right to relax after the fight.

I couldn't, however. There were still capes out there who needed my help, whether they were trapped or wounded. Straightening, I took to the air, flying to the nearest site of trouble.

When I arrived, however, I saw that someone had already beaten me to it.

Scion raised his arm and fired a beam of golden light at a pile of rubble, dissolving the concrete and brick away like soap foam as he exposed the wounded cape underneath. Drifting slowly to the excavation he had made, he gently hoisted the cape out and placed a firm hand on her chest, banishing away her wounds with more light.

It was... bizarre, watching him work. When I saw him work tirelessly to help everyone he could, it was easy to forget that he planned on wiping every last one of them from the face of the Earth, from _all_ Earths. When I looked deeper, however, I could see what lay beyond him, a veritable lake of organs and assorted other tissues completely unlike that of anything terrestrial. _That_ was the real him, not the tendril he had wedged into our single reality and sculpted to appease to worship.

Scion put the cape down on the ground, then turned to me. People often said that his face was nothing more than a mask, but I knew that it was really the truth as I watched him. He stared at me, almost looking _through_ me with unblinking eyes that glittered like golden coins. I suddenly found myself growing nervous. Could he sense that I wasn't human? If he did, what would he do about it?

There was a near-imperceptible change in Scion's expression, a shifting a facial muscles too subtle for a normal person to see. I could almost sense what he was thinking as he stared at me with those inhumanly golden eyes, the emotion delicately marring his perfect face.

Confusion.

Scion stared at me for a few more seconds, the sense of confusion growing in strength. Then, slowly, he lifted into the air and flew away. I watched as he rapidly flew towards the next area of emergency, a faint golden light trailing after him. He had designed his avatar well; I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he departed, despite knowing just what his real intentions were.

As soon as he was a good distance away, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. That had been too close; it was foolish of me to have actually stayed there and let him get a good look up close like that. Rubbing my eyes, I took off in the opposite direction from him, focusing on the more distant areas that needed me.

As I flew, however, I couldn't help but feel that there was something off. It was nothing definable, just a nebulous feeling of _wrongness_, like that sense of coming danger some people have, but it continued to nag at the back of my head.

"Taylor."

I paused mid-flight, turning to the source of the voice. Narrowing my eyes, I saw that it was coming from Dragon. Her main suit was crouched beside Colin, pointing at someone with a vast array of weaponry. Following her gaze, I saw that the person in question was a woman in a black suit, a fedora deftly clutched between slender fingers. Peering further, I saw that she had a shard in her head, but it was different from anything I had seen before. It wasn't like a natural trigger, but neither was it like the ones Alexandria and Eidolon had.

My eyes widened in realization. _She's with _them.

I landed between Dragon and the woman in the time it took for a neuron to spark, the already-damaged pavement cracking beneath my feet as I glared at her.

Aside from a small jolt and increase in heart pressure, the woman was entirely nonplussed by my arrival. "I see I have gotten your attention," she said in an odd manner, as though it wasn't _her_ doing the talking.

I folded my arms across my chest. "What are you doing here?" I asked in a low tone.

The woman raised her hands defensively, a sign she was unarmed. Of course, I could still see the plastic stiletto secreted away in her sleeve, but I decided to let it slide for the moment.

"I understand that your group wishes to have nothing to do with us," she continued. "However, it is for our best interests to have _this_ particular meeting, at the crux of a possible changing point."

"Changing point?" Dragon asked. "That does not sound good at all."

The woman sighed. "Discretion is at the utmost importance at the moment. The golden man mustn't be allowed to see us interacting to any further extent, lest everything we have worked for come crashing down. The AI will receive a message telling you where to go. When you arrive, there will be a means of transport for you to reach us and discuss the matter properly."

"Why should we trust you?" Colin growled, reaching for a weapon behind his cape.

"Because you care too much for this world, and for her."

A rectangular portal formed behind the woman, and she stepped back into it. Before it closed, I got a look at what lay beyond her, the labyrinthine halls built into another lake of flesh, and I shuddered.

As soon as the woman disappeared, Dragon turned to me. "I don't trust it at all. It's probably a trap, for all we know. We have no idea what they're capable of; for all we know, they have a weapon that can actually hurt you."

"Normally, I'd agree, but not this time," Colin interjected. "I read her face while she spoke. Whatever she's saying, she means it."

"Or she's been mastered because they know about your software," Dragon retorted. "We can't play into their hands like this, at least, not without a plan of our own."

I sighed, pressing my fingers against my temples. If I could really get headaches, it would have been then. "They seem to know something that we don't," I finally said, looking up at Dragon. "Something important enough for them to take a risk like this. At the very least, we should check out the location they sent you. Do you have it?"

"Yes," Dragon replied. "It's Olduvai Valley, in Kenya."

"The birthplace of the human species," Colin muttered. "Fitting."

I began to pace around, thinking. Almost reflexively, I extended the range of my hearing, trying to let the rhythmic music of the world calm me. There was just something soothing about hearing everything and taking it in. When I began to do so, however, I realized something was wrong.

I couldn't hear Amy's heartbeat.

It was then that the parting words of the woman clicked into place, and my hands clenched reflexively into fists.

_And for her_.

"Son of a _bitch_," I growled.

* * *

**S**

* * *

The sun was low on the horizon, thin slivers of light trickling through the rocky outcroppings surrounding the valley. Contessa watched the sky turn into a beautiful array of warm hues, her fedora under her arm. It was a spurious feeling, knowing that the very first humans had tread the ground she stood on, and looked at the sunset like she did. Across the countless Earths teeming with people she had visited in her sojourns, humanity had emerged from the same area, again and again. They may have all gone down their separate paths, like the branching tributaries of some vast river of time, but they all shared one common point of origin.

The sound of something heavy landing on the ground behind her interrupted any further musings. Turning, she saw that the Kryptonian had landed, accompanied by the AI and the man in black.

_I need to convince them to come with me without dying, _Contessa thought.

Three steps.

"It is good to see that you have agreed to come here," she began.

The Kryptonian crossed the space between them before her brain even had the chance to register the information, suddenly standing within arm's reach of her. A warning to not try anything stupid.

"_Where is she?_" the girl demanded, a faint flicker of crimson light sparking behind her eyes.

"She is safe and secure in our base," Contessa replied, gripping her fedora tightly. "Believe me when I say we do not wish to fight you. The biokinetic is in our custody for her own safety."

"Bull_shit_," the AI snarled. "You took her for a bargaining chip, something to keep us from immediately taking you down as soon as you show your face."

"I must admit, she is probably the only reason why I haven't been incapacitated, but I do tell the truth when I say that there is an extreme danger approaching, one that we must discuss regardless of our moral hangups."

The Kryptonian's jaw clenched, but nothing else.

Contessa sighed. "Door."

The portal opened to the side of them, revealing the familiar alabaster hallway. Contessa stepped through it, noting how much cooler it was inside, then turned to the others. "Are you coming?"

There was a small pause, and they stepped through.


	48. Eschaton 9-4

I studied the base as we walked down the hallway, searching for anything of note. Traps, escape routes, places where they might be holding Amy or anyone else. The complex we were in was simply massive; I could see hallways extending down for miles at some points, filled with labs and holding areas. Many of them were occupied by monstrous things, their bodies distorted to the point that it took me a moment to realize that they were once human. Failed experiments, test subjects even worse off than the Case 53's.

I clicked my jaw and seethed at the woman as we made our way to a large room, fighting the urge to simply start smashing the cells apart and freeing everyone they were holding captive, even though I knew it would get us nowhere. If I wanted to do anything, I had to bide my time and look for the best opportunity.

There was more in the base. Or, rather, _outside _of the base. Surrounding us on all sides were massive walls of flesh, just like what I had seen earlier. They towered over everything else like out of something HP Lovecraft would have written, sending chills down my spine as I saw them and realized what they were: the remains of Scion's mate. That was how they granted powers; they simply harvested the proper organs from the _thing _surrounding them.

We stopped at the entrance to a large room. The doors were open, revealing a dimly lit room that could fit a small house inside. Already I could see several figures inside, separated into groups that stood in front of glowing panels. Alexandria and the other artificial capes were there as well, standing near a woman in a white dress and lab coat. Their group represented by a stylized 'C', adding to their conspiratorial aesthetic. Everyone else, however, I couldn't recognize. One of the symbols looked familiar, however, though I wasn't able to put a name on it.

The woman turned to face us, gesturing towards door. "They are waiting for you."

I stepped inside, followed by Colin. Dragon had to stoop to get inside, but otherwise the room was large enough for her to stand without hitting the ceiling. Any conversations that had been going on before we entered stopped cold as everyone turned to look at us.

The woman in white rose from her seat. "I am glad to see you agreed to the meeting. Please, have a seat."

"I'll stand," I replied, folding my arms.

"Same goes here," Colin said tersely, standing beside me.

The woman in white sighed and sat back down, her hands steepled in front of her. Her pose reminded me of some bad guy from a Japanese TV show, which did not help with first impressions.

"Perhaps we should begin with introductions," she said. "I am Doctor Mother, and I am the founder of Cauldron."

"I imagine you'd want to begin with some formalities, but I'm not in the mood," Colin growled. "Let's cut through that crap and get down to business, shall we?"

Doctor Mother shrugged. "That sounds fair. As we've gathered, you already know everything. What this organization is about, what it's goals are, and what we're up against."

"Scion," I said.

One of the capes across the room sputtered on his glass of water. Turning his way, I saw that his panel had a stylized cage on it. A Birdcage inmate?

"Wait, what?" the cape asked hoarsely, coughing as he wiped his mouth. "_That's _why we're here? I thought this was about the Endbringers."

"_Be quiet, Marquis,_" another inmate said in a strange voice, like hundreds were speaking at once. She appeared to be about my age, give or take a year, but there was an air about her that made me think that she was _much_ older than she looked. "_Do not allow your ignorance to sully our honor with the hosts._"

"He has a right to know," Doctor Mother said. She turned away from us, sweeping the rest of the room with steely eyes. "Yes, that is why we are here. After making some simulations, predictions, and consultations with those that have precognitive power, we have strong reason to believe that Scion will go rogue. The exact date is unknown, but it appears that it may be within a matter of days."

"Fifty three point seven eight two nine percent chance of the attack being within twenty-four hours," a man next to her added. He had a rather unassuming appearance, pocket protector and all, but there was something behind his eyes that unsettled me. "Thirty eight point six three seven percent chance of it being within 48 hours, and so on."

"Days?" Dragon asked. "It shouldn't be for decades."

"_Perhaps that would have been the case, archivist,_" the girl inmate replied, "_if not for the arrival of the interloper, the child cast from Tír na nÓg. Her presence is unwanted and unplanned, throwing the cycle into complete chaos and disorder. The father of the faerie will not approve of such interference, even if he is a lost soul._"

_Tír na nÓg, the realm of youth and joy,_ I thought to myself. _She must mean Krypton. And father of the faire, that must be Scion._

"This is an unexpected challenge," a robed man said from his panel. There was a faint Hindi accent to his voice, and I realized he was part of the _Thanda_. "Never did I ever imagine _he'd_ become our destroyer. What can we even do about it?"

"That is why we are here," Doctor Mother replied. "I understand that there are more than a few divisions amongst us, but we need to put them aside if we have a hope of avoiding extinction at Scion's hands. In essence, we need to strategize, take stock of what we can bring against him."

"We could always throw her at him," Marquis said, pointing at me. "Last I heard before you brought us here, she just got her second Endbringer kill."

"Rather crudely put, but that is a valid answer," Doctor Mother said. "Superwoman is the most powerful being in this room, at least in terms of brute force, and that is always something that can be used." She turned to me, clasping her hands together. "That's not all you have, though, is it? There's also the hyperadvanced technology of a long dead race, something that isn't limited to its creators like Tinkertech. Weapons that could prove incredibly useful for the fight, much like the technology you have given your partners."

"Rather presumptuous to think she'd actually lend you Kryptonian technology," Dragon said. "Firstly, we still haven't reconstructed anything too complex in terms of working parts. Secondly, and this is my main point of contention, _it'd be too dangerous for you to use_, even if we could manufacture complex weapons. Chances are you'd accidentally blow yourselves up with it."

"I think you underestimate our capacity for learning, Dragon," Doctor Mother retorted. "We can still use the rudimentary equipment, like that armor Superwoman and the Batman are wearing. Armed with those 'simple tools', the latter managed to actually damage Leviathan."

"And that's what concerns _me_," Colin said, a hand near his utility belt. "I'm uncomfortable with you having that much more power, considering just what kind of people you are." He glanced in the direction of the Triumvirate. "You've manipulated us from the beginning, putting your people in positions in power and illegally experimenting on people just because you think it'll give you a fighting chance. You practically have the world in the palm of your hand; what says you'll give it up once this is all over?"

"Everything we've done has solely been to stop Scion. No more, no less. This organization will be gladly dismantled once he is stopped. Believe me, what we do not attempt to sugarcoat what we do; we're doing terrible things to prevent even worse terrible things."

"Considering how much you've lied in the past, It's hard to believe you," Colin said. "It must come natural to you; my readings are inconclusive. Either way, I'm unwilling to save the world from one threat by damning it to another."

"I understand what moral hangups you must have, but you must understand the risks involved," Doctor Mother retorted calmly. "_Everything_ is at risk. Not just the fate of a city, or a country, or even a world. All of humanity, whether they be primitive hunters on one Earth or scientists on another, will be completely annihilated. There will not even be survivors to carry on the legacy of what has been lost, like with her world. Earth will be forgotten, less than a memory. Are you willing to let that happen because of your conscience?"

"If we do what you do, humanity is already lost," I said. "Whether or not we're living after this, what makes us _us_ will be dead. We're all about rising above our animalistic instincts and embracing the best of us, not committing terrible things just to survive. If we're willing to throw _ourselves_ under the bus to accomplish something, what makes us any better than Scion? He probably used the same reasoning as you did; destroying worlds to ensure a future for his species."

"_It is amusing to see the Other speak of mortals like she is one of them,_" the strange teenager said in her multitude of voices. "_She wears their flawed skin and lives like they do, but she'll _never_ be one. What makes you believe you understand the creatures around you? They are destructive beings, all of them; it is why the Father of Fairies chose their world to sow discord. Let them fight in their barbaric ways; it'll never matter against him in the end, so why digress about how they die?_"

"Sorry that you've already given up," I replied, clenching my fists. "Don't you think I know about the terrible things people do? I can hear _everything_ that goes on. Every murder, every rape, every child starving to death. But I also see people risking their lives to save others, to go out of their way to make the world a better place, even when they have no reason to. You see people as they are. I see them as what they could _be_. If we are to fight Scion, live or die, we have to do it as humans, not the animals we came from."

"You seem rather set about your decision," Doctor Mother said.

"I am. I'm not going to fight you while Scion's looming over our head, but I will have _none_ of what you're doing. I'll fight him to the last if I need to, but I won't even _consider_ working with you."

Doctor Mother spread her hands slightly and sighed. "This meeting was only a slight disappointment. You plan on fighting Scion, that's all that matters to me. It's a shame you refuse to work with us; we could produce amazing results in combat against him." She turned to look at Dragon and Colin. "I assume you are siding with her on this?"

"Yes," Dragon replied.

"Of course," Colin added.

I narrowed my eyes at Doctor Mother. "Now, _where is she?_"

"She is alive and well," came the quick reply. "Though we may be of differing ethics, I am no fool. I know you could crack this entire continent in half before any of us had time to even _think_ of stopping you. She's on another Earth, in one of our safehouses. We'll bring her to you, and you can go on your way."

"Wait," Marquis said. "Are you talking about Amy Dallon?"

I turned to him and furrowed my brow. "How do you know her?"

"She's my daughter."

"Oh," I said awkwardly.

Marquis turned to Doctor Mother. "You brought my Amelia into this?"

"We had no intention of harming her. She's a powerful biokinetic, and it would be unwise to anger the Kryptonian."

"How courteous of you," Marquis muttered wryly. "Do you do this to everyone you want on your side?"

"Tell me about it," I said in a low tone. "What made you think kidnapping my girlfriend would make me want to work with you?"

"The biokinetic would be better off captive than dead at the hands of the Warrior," Contessa replied matter-of-factly. "It was a courtesy, an attempt to prevent you from experiencing any severe mental harm during the battle."

"My, courtesies have changed since I got put in the 'cage," Marquis said venomously.

"_It would be a mistake to anger your host, Marquis,_" the teenaged girl beside him said. "_The matters of the Other are beyond us, now._"

A door shaped portal appeared, and Amy stumbled out, pushed through by a hand. A quick once-over revealed nothing wrong; she was shaken, but unharmed. Her adoptive father stumbled through a moment later, and the portal closed, only to be replaced by a second one.

"You may go," Doctor Mother said. "I have a feeling circumstance will force us to meet again."

"I'll be sure to wipe my feet on the welcome mat next time," Colin deadpanned, briskly walking to the portal.

I hurried to Amy's side, embracing her. "Come on, let's head home."

I caught Marquis's arm as we stepped through. Despite everything that had been going on, there was a small smile on his face.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"We have to do something on our own," Colin said, pacing about the hall of the ship. "Working with Cauldron is off the table, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to organize against Scion."

"That's easier said than done," Dragon replied. "It's going to be hard to tell who isn't in with them. Who can we trust to help us with this?"

"We could always contact people in the more low-key groups," I suggested, leaning forward in my seat. "Most of their capes are probably in the Protectorate and other big teams. But what about the New Wave, the Haven group, the other independents? Hell, most of the Wards probably don't know what's going on; they might be willing to help us."

Amy lifted her head. She had been sitting to the side of the room with Mark, quiet, but now we had her attention. "Vicky's good. Same with my cousins and Dad."

I gave her a smile. "A nice starting point."

"There's still problems with contacting potential allies," Dragon said. "We'd draw suspicion if we started to suddenly seek audiences with them, both from Scion and from Cauldron."

"It's better than nothing," Colin said. "If what they say is true, the shit's going to hit the fan anyway. Might as well be more prepared for it if we can't stop it. It would a bad idea to have them actually go up against Scion, but they can take on other roles. Crowd control, evacuation, that sort of thing."

"I can scout around the Guild," Dragon offered. "I've worked with them for a long time; it shouldn't be hard to figure out where their loyalties lie."

"That's good," I said. "In the meantime, we need to get the rest of Amy's family over here, in case something does happen."

"I'll start gathering them immediately. Shouldn't be too hard to create a context for it."

I rose to my feet, absentmindedly brushing myself off. "In the meantime, I'm going out again. There's still trouble going on independent of this, and I want to be able to respond quickly if and when Scion starts to act up."

"Take care," Colin said. "And I really mean it this time."

* * *

**S**

* * *

The usual freedom of soaring over the world seemed deadened to the point of numbness as I left the ship, rapidly leaving the frozen tundras of the Arctic behind me and skimming the choppy waters of the Atlantic. My mind was too troubled by what had happened, and what could happen in a matter of days. Before, I had viewed the situation with Scion as almost a hypothetical, something that would happen in the far-off future, but now it seemed like an all-too-real probability.

I brushed the thought out of my head and decided to focus on something else. There was an industrial accident brewing across the Atlantic in Britain; it would be twenty minutes or so before the authorities could properly respond to it. Taking a deep breath, I began to fly over to it.

As I was halfway there, however, I suddenly realized there was a faint glow to the far right of me. I slowed down, and it decelerated as well, refusing to move out of my sight. A jolt of shock raced down my spine, and I turned to the source of the light.

Scion stood not more than a hundred feet away, floating above the stormy waves of the Atlantic so that he'd be at eye level with me. He stared at me, completely immobile, like an immaculately carved statue of the finest gold. Though he did not move, it seemed as though the very world was moving away from him, trembling before his awesome visage.

He had changed since our last meeting. His body was as perfect and flawless as before, but there was something in his countenance and posture, a myriad of countless changes in the way he held himself. That same feeling of emotion was emanating from him, but it was no longer that solemn grief, but something else. Something primal, a feeling that lurked behind his eyes as he stared through me with that lifeless expression of his.

Before I could figure it out, he raised his hand and fired.


	49. Interlude XII

The entity felt confused.

It had started earlier in the planet's rotation, when it had responded to an attack on a particularly large native settlement located on one of the smaller landmasses. Another one of the unleashed weapons had begun its cyclic assault, creating conflict as the shards were forced to fight it off. The entity did not know what had caused the weapon to be released in the first place, though it could simply produce the needed information from its collection of shards. There was no particular need to do so, and it would be a draining effort on its behalf.

As it had done before, it finished with the situation at hand before flying off to assist in driving off the weapon. Normally, the shards present would require its help to do so, though occasionally one of the stronger ones had managed to succeed without help. It was a shame; such conflict produced immense data for the shards to gather, yet it was all in vain without the Thinker to complete the cycle.

The entity moved with great speed, easily surpassing the speed barrier as it flew over countless settlements of wood, stone, glass, and steel. Already it could sense numerous shards exerting their powers, using them to combat the attacking weapon. For a brief moment, it thought it could sense the presence of another weapon, but it soon disappeared. Most likely a misinterpretation of data, nothing more.

As it neared, however, it realized that something was different from before. For some unknown reason, it seemed as though as the weapon was hardly attacking at all. Or, rather, the shards were not attacking _it_; the entity could still sense the typical damage being done to the settlement, though even that seemed different from before. Curious, it increased its speed, even as the extra energy taxed slightly more on its reserves.

When it arrived, the battle was already over. The weapon laid destroyed amongst the ruins of a flooded area, its true self shattered into pieces. For the first time in revolutions, the entity felt surprise as it analyzed the remains of the weapon; such results were a sure sign of creative use if the shards were somehow able to actually destroy something designed for centuries of combat. Once again, the entity felt remorse as it realized that such data would never come to use.

There was still need for assistance, as per the instructions of Norton. The entity descended into the large settlement, locating injured and trapped natives and freeing them with mechanical efficiency. It had performed similar actions before, but not on such a small scale when the weapons were involved. The entity pondered what had happened as it moved to another section of the city.

It came before a particularly large piece of rubble, composed of brick and strengthened with bars of metal.

_Steel_, a scanning shard informed, alerting the entity of what wavelengths it needed to counter in order to free the trapped shard. Raising a hand, it neutralized the wavelengths holding the material together.

As it did so, it became aware of a presence nearby, though there was something different about it. It was not a weapon nor shard, as it could sense no connection, but nor was it a typical native of the planet, according to cursory scans.

The entity focused its attention on the anomalous lifeform, exerting its sensory powers. As it attempted to probe deeper, however, there was an obstacle in its way. A fog, almost, concealing the minutia from any further scans.

Puzzling.

It was of no matter, however; the entity had obtained enough data to formulate a rough picture of what stood before it. What it found surprised it even further.

Despite possessing a physical form uncannily similar to that of the planet's natives, the anomalous creature was not one of them. The internal structure of the thing was unlike anything the entity had ever encountered on the planet, and it had never found such a particular species before on previous cycles. An unknown being, then, one that had somehow arrived on this particular world.

The entity desired more information. It focused on the less-used shards, using the natives' own communication networks in order to gather data on the creature before it. Apparently, the natives had already known of the anomalous being, producing data that could be used. The entity began to piece together what it could.

_Dying planet. Desperate scientists. Last hope._

It was indeed extraterrestrial in origin, then. The being had taken on the role not unlike the entity's, using its natural abilities to protect the natives from harm on a global scale. Unlike the entity, however, it interacted freely with the species it protected, announcing its intentions to fight for endemic ideals.

_Truth. _

_Justice._

_ Hope._

Despite the lack of a form that appealed to perceptions of worship, the natives had practically worshipped the being, viewing it as a symbol that emboldened the best ideals of the species, something that stood for a belief bigger than itself.

_Hero. _

_Icon._

The entity decided to process the information further, and left the settlement behind as it flew back over the ocean. It drifted aimlessly, deep in thought.

The being obviously possessed a power orders of magnitude greater than the shards, if it was strong enough to destroy a entity-created weapon through pure brute force alone. It was also capable of resisting deep probings, and was not of the target world. In some ways, it was almost like another of the entity's own kind.

The entity paused. Was it possible? The entities had spread far across the vast cosmos, gathering wildly different data and shards from the inconceivable plurality of worlds, changing their forms to the point of practically being separate species. It was not improbable that one entity had developed in a way that would match the description of the strange being, using different methods for cycles. Perhaps it was a parasite, a rogue member of its kind that would simply steal any gathered data for itself.

Had it already done so? Perhaps it was the third entity the Thinker had encountered, the one that may have lead to the disruption of the cycle. After ensuring that the shards could never be fully harvested, it may have come to the target planet under the guise of a lost alien, preparing a method of killing the entity and securing the shards for its own gain.

The entity used more of its shards, trying to look down potential worldlines involving the strange being, but there was more of the concealing fog, preventing it from reaching a valid conclusion. A negation of precognition, not unlike the abilities some entities had obtained.

It was of no matter. Even if the entity destroyed the interloper, it was of no use. The cycle was already disrupted beyond salvation; the entity would simply remain on the target world, saving natives until its reserves ran out.

Unless...

The sole reason the entity had taken upon the role of savior was a lack of purpose, the need to find a path after the loss of the Thinker. It had looked at the target species for inspiration, taking into account that it had acquired a semblance of their psychology when it had assumed their form. Working to help those around it was one form of coping with grief, but what about the others?

It recalled data collected about the target species before arrival, specifically those about psychology. Often, when one native had been wronged by another, it had coped by performing violent actions against the responsible party.

_Revenge._

The entity paused for half a rotation, considering the method. It was often considered self-destructive and pointless; a gesture that held no satisfaction. Often times, as what may be the case with the entity, it would be committed against the wrong party. As the entity pondered the options, it realized the current path held no satisfaction, either. A look down the future confirmed it, that the entity would never find the promised reward for its actions, the solace from its grief.

The entity thought, then made its choice.

It didn't take long to locate the strange being; it was flying over the body of water separating the two main groups of landmasses. Oddly enough, it was near the point the entity had first arrived at, twenty-eight local revolutions ago. The entity matched speed with the strange being, waiting to be noticed.

It didn't take long. The being slowed to a stop, then turned to face the entity, watching. It was puzzling; the thing's form was not designed to appeal to values of worship, or even the epitome of beauty. In fact, it appearance was more like that of an adolescent female.

A small time passed, then the entity raised its hand. It fired a relatively weak blast, meant more to probe than injure. It struck the being, sending it smashing into the water below with enough force to damage to continental plate beneath.

The entity watched, feelings running through its designed psyche. Relief? Satisfaction?

_Yes._

The entity processed more information as it prepared for the counterattack. The probability that the being was indeed a member of its own kind was becoming smaller and smaller as more data was fed into its shards, but it did not care. Even if it did not cause the Thinker's death, the feelings such actions brought had finally given it something beyond emptiness.

It needed to experiment, to take its time with this path and experience it fully. Simply killing the being would not suffice, it had to make it suffer for its perceived slight. If it felt pain, the entity would make it wish it couldn't. The being's mind would be assailed as fully as its body in order to complete the experimentation. If the being did truly care for the natives, then the entity would ensure to make them suffer. It would wipe every world clean of the feeble insects, if only to cause the being the same anguish it felt. The entity ran through the data it had collected about the world, searching for a suitable word for what was to follow.

_Doomsday._

_Apocalypse._

_Armageddon._

_Eschaton._

The terms didn't quite fit for what the entity intended. The extinction of the natives was a means, not an end to itself. It searched deeper into the local languages, searching for meaning.

The being suddenly struck back, tearing through the entity's flesh with unbelievable speed. It appeared as though it was unscathed by the attack, a further testament of its power.

The entity suddenly found what it was looking for. Not only would it bring an end to the world, it was to fight a being that may match it in strength. A struggle between the mightiest things in creation, one that would shake the very world. A battle of the gods.

_Theomachy._

Yes, that would suffice.

Feeling satisfied for the first time in twenty-eight revolutions, the entity fired again.


	50. Theomachy 10-1

_Ow._

I blinked a few times, regaining awareness of my surroundings. Scion was still there, looking down at me. His expression almost reminded me of a scientist, watching as a paramecium squirmed in a petri dish with detached interest. His hand was lowered, though I knew he could easily raise it again.

I quickly rose to my feet, surveying the damage he had done with his first attack. He had blasted me into the water directly below us, and in the process I had hit the seafloor with enough force to fracture it for miles around. Magma oozed out of countless new fissures, rapidly darkening as the cold seawater solidified it. The entire area around me was clouded with debris and dead fish, a testament to the sheer power Scion could wield.

Scion was still watching me, as motionless as a golden statue as he stared down at me with brazen eyes. What was he waiting for? Was he gauging how well I had taken the shot, to see what he was up against?

I wouldn't give him the chance. Balling my hands into fists, I sprang out of the water like a bullet and flew right at him. He did nothing to defend himself as I began my counterattack, swinging at him with a vicious right hook. To my surprise, the fist swiped clean through him, scooping out several pounds of unearthly flesh in the process. The wound regenerated immediately as soon as there was nothing blocking it, a faint golden glow emanating from wherever the new flesh poured in from his vast well. It was impressive, how fast he could heal; only someone like me could have actually seen the process in progress before it was completed.

I pressed my offensive, my arms transforming into a blur as I tore out more and more of his flesh. Golden blood, undoubtedly without any actual use for him, dripped into the waters below, turning the ocean a bright yellow. How much of him was I actually damaging? There was probably millions of tons worth of tissue for him to access, and I was only taking out a few pounds at a time. It was like trying to drain an Olympic swimming pool with a teaspoon; I could only speed up the process so much.

Scion blasted me again. This time, the beams came from his eyes, almost like a mockery of my own heat vision. The golden light hit me dead on, sending me arcing across the ocean as it pushed me. Something solid hit my back at an angle, but the beam continued to shove me through it like it wasn't even there. Finally, the beam cut off, allowing me to drop to the ground. As I recovered, I realized that he had blasted me through a mountain. A neat hole had been punched through it, revealing blue sky on the other side.

I lifted back into the air, panting. That attack actually _hurt._ It hadn't been since I fought Behemoth that I felt so much pain, and I realized that it was probably not going to end there. I took a deep breath, then prepared myself for another attack.

Scion passed through the hole he had made through the mountain, his entire body suffused with a bright golden light. Something strange happened to the mountain wherever the light touched, an effect that somehow weakened the material bonds of certain substances, and the entire peak collapsed behind him in a cloud of dust that swiftly towered above neighboring ridges. The light shifted again, shuffling strangely through wavelengths, and the dust immediately settled back down.

I flew at him again, fists outstretched. Scion fired again, this time using his hand again, but I nimbly sidestepped the beam and rushed him. His entire head turned to a fine paste as I struck it, then swept downwards, splitting him from chest to groin. I began to move faster, using my speed to destroy as much of his flesh as possible before he could have a chance to fight back. His body was unrecognizable at that point; I was tearing it up too much for it to reform in time.

As I pressed on, however, it began to get harder. Each swipe took longer, his flesh becoming more resistant with each passing strike. He took the opportunity to blast me again, sending me smashing into the nearby ocean. A titanic spray rose from the point of landing, only to fall straight down as Scion drifted closer. He descended into the water, his perfect form practically glowing in the dark ocean as he gently alighted onto the seafloor.

I clutched my ribs, groaning. It was like a truck had slammed into my chest, and a look down revealed livid bruises forming underneath my uniform. I had to chance tactics if I wanted to get out of this intact, maybe try and contact Dragon, if she didn't already know what was going on.

That would have to wait, however. Scion sprang forward, striking me across the jaw with a brazen fist. It appeared he was experimenting in combat, seeing how well physical blows would do. The force of the blow splintered his arm like an overripe fruit, but he paid no heed to the damage as he brought his knee up into my gut. Air bubbles rose to the surface as the wind was knocked out of my lungs, and I winced in pain as he made contact with the bruises.

I began to speed up again, watching as everything slowed to a graceful trickle. Scion lashed out with another fist, but it was slower this time, like he was moving through molasses. I sidestepped the strike, then began pulped his torso with a kick. He slowly reacted this time, twisting to reach me as I slammed my fists into his chest over and over, taking out hundreds of pounds of flesh with every fraction of a second.

It was slow for my tastes, but I didn't want to take any further risks. If I moved too fast, like the speeds I used against the Simurgh and Behemoth, the atoms in the way would forcibly fuse together and further damage everything around us. If I wanted to go all out, I needed to take the fight off-planet, like orbit or the Moon again.

My thoughts were interrupted when golden light blasted out from all directions, nearly blinding me with its intensity. The water around us simply vanished, turning into its component particles as Scion activated his main offensive power. As I reeled from the light, he reached out with lightning speed, grasping my throat tightly.

I choked, struggling against his grip as he brought me closer. He glared at me with inhuman eyes, a furious snarl marring his perfect face. More light flashed from his hand, burning into the flesh around my throat. I had to resist the urge to cry out in pain as he increased the attack's strength.

That was when the idea struck me. _Heat. _I glared back at Scion, feeling a familiar warmth build up behind my eyes.

"**_Burn_**," I rasped.

A massive cone of red light engulfed Scion, vaporizing his body down to the portals that linked to his well. The water around us rushed in as soon as his attack stopped, only to turn into steam from the sheer heat of my beams. The rocky seabed beneath us began to glow a dull orange, producing a bloom of infrared light as it turned into molten slag. Behind him, a sandy beach turned to glass wherever the heat vision made contact.

A few seconds passed as I continued to burn away more and more of his flesh, then the beam faded. Scion's body reappeared almost immediately afterward, a white bodysuit reforming over his naked form. He cocked his head at me, as if the attack had never even happened. Was he gauging the damage the heat vision had done?

There was time to ask questions later. Narrowing my eyes, I lunged.

* * *

**S**

* * *

A shudder rocked through the ship, quivering the precariously stacked equipment in the main hall. Colin looked up from his workshop table, frowning.

"What was that?"

"I'm not sure," Dragon replied. "It might have been an earthquake, but there are no major fault lines in the area. I'm trying to pinpoint the epicenter right now."

"Do you think it might be something else?" Amy asked, concern clear in her voice. "Maybe... maybe it's already happened, Scion going nuts and everything."

"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet, though I'm afraid we can't rule that out." One of Dragon's combat drones whirred to life, rising from the floor. "I'm going to scout it out. In the meantime, we should prepare for the worst. Prepare to contact government authorities, warn them of the danger Scion poses. I wouldn't be surprised if Cauldron's already trying to evacuate people right now."

"One of the few good things they can do," Colin muttered. "If it weren't for the fact they'd probably try to screw us over, it would have been useful to have access to their portals." He stood up, pulling the black helmet over his head. With it on, there was an inhuman air about him, like he was more of shadow of the night than a man. "That reminds me. What's the status of the Phantom Drive?"

"Still working on it," replied Dragon. "Not much longer, though. Within two hours, we should be able to move between realities and start looking for his real body."

Another tremor shook the hall, dislodging a few stray dust particles.

"I wonder if that'll be soon enough," Colin murmured.

* * *

**S**

* * *

We soared over the vast boreal forests of Siberia, tangled in a deadly grapple with each other. I clawed at Scion, digging away more of his flesh with my fingers as they scratched temporary furrows into his chest. In response, he drove a fist into my gut, hunks of meat and splintered bone spraying from his arm as he regenerated the damage of the attack.

I was starting to get tired. The fight against the Endbringers had already been draining on me, and the sheer strength of his attacks did not help. It wasn't to a considerable degree, but it was not good in comparison to the damage I was doing to him. By the time I actually managed to make serious headway against him, I would be too tired to continue, and he would still be going strong.

Scion changed course, sending us careening into the ground. We hit hard, plowing through permafrost and countless trees for miles as we continued to struggle against each other. I worked against his pull, slowly bringing to two of us to a stop. Breaking away from him, I opened fire with my heat-vision again, burning away more of his flesh. He shifted powers, slowly gaining resistance to the beams as his body regenerated back to a visible form.

A ball of golden light raced at me, moving just my heat vision. Cutting the attack off, I dodged to side and watched as it raced past me, blowing up a distant mountain in an explosion of rock and ash. I watched in horror as the dust rose into the air, realizing that people were probably living nearby.

It was the distraction he was going for. A fist struck between my shoulder blades, followed by a muscular arm wrapping about my throat. More golden light shone from his body, scalding my flesh through the material of my uniform.

There was a strange flicker, then the scenery around us changed. The forest was gone, replaced by a vast desert of mottled red and brown tones, accompanied by the usual colors only I could see. The sun beat down upon us from a cloudless sky, and I realized there wasn't any oxygen in the air. We were on another Earth, one where life never evolved to the stage of photosynthesis, and thus actually moved onto land. The only signs of life on this Earth were swarms of single-celled organisms in a chemical-choked ocean on the other side of the planet.

No more worries about holding back, then.

I ripped free from Scion's grip, tearing off his arm in the process. As he reacted to that, I spun about and drove a fist into his gut, pulverizing his torso, then began to scoop away at his well with renewed fervor. He tried to fire a beam again, but I easily dodged the attack and repaid the favor with a massive blast of heat vision.

Scion rocketed into the air, his face contorted with animalistic fury. He screamed, a hoarse roar that chilled me to the bone as he glowed with awesome intensity. Golden light pulsed out from him in all directions, flash-liquidating the ground for miles around us with the sheer amount of energy behind it. A beam slammed into my chest and shoved me into to ground, the entire continent around us shattering into crumbling chunks of tectonic plate. He poured more golden light into it, and the remains of the continent folded around us as I was pushed further and further down.

I rose against the beam, slowly regaining my footing. Bracing myself, I flew to the side of the beam, moving out of his area of effect. I breathed a sigh of relief as the sun shone down on me, then changed course and smashed against Scion again. I changed tactics, rapidly flying around him as I tore at his flawless body, not allowing him the chance to get a bearing on me.

Suddenly, Scion _clapped_. Everything around us stopped, whether it be dust particles or pieces of debris larger than a city block, and I felt a disconcerting feeling throughout my body. It was as though every cell in my body jerked briefly, and I realized that Scion had attempted to use his stilling power to stop my bodily functions cold. If I had been any younger, any less powerful, it probably would have worked. As it was, I drifted back, trying to overcome the wave of dizziness washing over me.

Scion watched me, and I could've sworn I felt the faintest signs of something other than anger coming from him.

Satisfaction.

He was experimenting, trying to see how doing this made him felt, and he was _loving_ it.

With that in mind, I shook off the dizziness I was feeling, and struck again.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"The portal in New York is operating at maximum capacity," the Number Man said. "Approximately fifteen thousand people per hour are being deposited into emergency settlements on Earth Gimel via that route. The Brockton Bay portal is at fifty-three percent capacity, and the Mumbai'i portal is at ninety-two."

"How many people have been evacuated so far?"

"At the moment? One hundred million, three hundred and eight-four thousand, six hundred and ninety-one, with a variation of one point two three eight percent. Forty eight percent are currently on Earth Gimel, while another fifteen point three are on Earth Dalet-"

"Thank you," Doctor Mother interrupted. She sighed, looking around the meeting room. "I must say, the casualties are far lower than what I expected so far."

"We have the Kryptonian to thank for that, strangely enough," Alexandria said. "For some reason, it appears that Scion is focusing predominately on her, though he's still attempting to inflict civilian casualties. For example, the first area the fight ended up making landfall on was Iceland, the nearest population center. Then, as they flew through the atmosphere, it appears that he made grazing shots at any signs of habitation. Had the arc gone on any longer, they would have hit China."

"The most populated area on the planet," Doctor Mother said. "We should focus evacuations on there. What is the likelihood of Scion arriving here again in the next twenty four hours?"

"Hard to tell," the Number Man replied. "Based on scattered reports from our outposts in other realities, he and the Kryptonian are currently flying over Earth Shin. Theoretically speaking, he could arrive back here, though he may attempt to attack easier to reach Earths first."

"We should be out there," Eidolon said. "The longer we spend just on evacuation, the weaker I'm getting. If I want to be even a little useful, I have to move fast."

Doctor Mother turned to him. "For now, we have to observe, see just what Scion is capable of. I'd rather risk the Kryptonian than you."

"Why is that, by the way?" Legend asked. "Why is it we're letting her out to dry while we just sit here?"

"I understand you may have some personal concerns," Doctor Mother replied. "I also know that the revelation of what our true intentions are may be a prob-"

"I'm not talking about that," Legend snapped. "I'll deal with that later, when I don't have to worry about the human race going extinct. I'm talking about why you're letting someone tough enough to kill _Endbringers_ handle Scion alone. She's probably got more power in her little pinky than the three of us, and she's risking herself to keep him away from civilians. If we lose her, we're fucked, period."

"I don't see why you're so adamant about protecting her. She may be the most powerful player on the table, but that doesn't mean she's as useful as Eidolon or Alexandria. She's unpredictable, unwilling to work with us."

"So, she's not valuable because _you're_ not the one telling her to fight him?"

There was a brief pause. Doctor Mother leaned back in her chair and sighed, exchanging a brief look with Contessa. "We'll see if we can move some of our weaker capes into the fight, get some pressure off of the Kryptonian. Our priority is not her, however."

Legend walked out of the room, sparing his two oldest friends a glance. He walked down the hallway for a bit, then paused.

"Door."


	51. Theomachy 10-2

A lush Earth practically devoid of humans, where vast wildernesses extended for as far as the eye could see. The only sign of Mankind was a walled city, surrounded by inhuman things.

Another Earth, this one with lifeless red seas that lapped at broken shores. Everything about it seemed _off_, from the geography, to the unsuspecting peoples inhabiting damaged cities.

An Earth that was a lot like ours, but almost _fuller_, like the damaging events of my world had never touched it.

We passed through the countless alternate Earths like a blur, rapidly transversing dimensions as we struggled. Finally, we arrived at a barren one, where the continents had remained connected instead of drifting apart. Scion pulled away from me, baring his teeth like a rabid animal, and fired a narrow golden beam. I dodged to the side, noting as the attack dug a straight trench across the titanic landmass beneath us and bisected it. He was using more and more of his full power, now that he had a better gauge of what I could do.

Two could play at that game. I blasted him with my heat vision, widening it into a cone that encompassed him entirely and stripped away all of his flesh. He began to slowly counteract against it, his body becoming more and more recognizable, but it was costing him thousands of pounds of flesh every second to do so. There was only so much he could do to defend himself from an attack when there was so much _power_ behind it.

I waited a few more seconds, then switched back to melee. Scion opened his mouth to howl, only for me to completely pulverize his body with a punch. As soon as his body reformed, I lashed out with a wide kick, tearing away even more of his flesh. I began to speed up, moving so fast that Scion barely seemed to be moving as I ripped into his flesh. His strength could be easily turned into a weakness; such fast regeneration also meant that his reserves could be drained quicker.

Even then, I knew I was fighting an uphill battle. Even assuming I was tearing away at his well with maximum efficiency, it could be days before his reserves ran out. Meanwhile, every hit he landed on me was another sore spot, another bruise that took time to heal, even with the sun burning down on us. If, and that was a big if, I did managed to survive until his well ran out, what would happen to the Earths? How many people would he kill before he was stopped?

I dismissed the thought out of my head. I had to focus on stopping him, to find a way to quickly end the fight. Were Dragon and the others working on finding his real body, at the moment? Or did they have no clue about what was happening?

Scion was preparing another attack, most likely another one of his mass stilling blasts. I moved away from him, trying to clear as much distance as possible, then opened fire with my heat vision again. The beams blasted him down to the bone, but they didn't stop him from firing the attack.

It was a different from before. A massive flurry of golden bolts raced out of him from all directions, producing mushroom clouds wherever they hit the ground beneath us. I zipped about, dodging as many of the bolts as possible, but there were too many to avoid entirely. One of them struck me in the chest dead on, and I found myself smashing into the distant ocean like a bullet. The tectonic plate crumpled and folded at the point of impact, like a leaf curling as flames scorched it to ash.

Scion was quick to press his advantage, flying at me like a streak of golden light. I watched as he advanced, then stepped to the side, letting him plow through the thin oceanic crust. The heat of the magma beneath stripped away more of his tissue, but it didn't last. He punched back up through the remains of the continent plate to face me, as spotless as ever.

_Wherever you guys are, you need to hurry,_ I thought.

Heat welled up behind my eyes, boiling the water around my face, and I fired again.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"So, you're going to help _us_?" Dragon asked. Her main suit was crouched in a sitting position, looking directly at the unexpected guest in the ship.

Legend nodded, sighing. "I know you have no reason at all to trust me at all. I was with their group, and it doesn't matter that I didn't know what was going on. Part of me was concerned about some of the things Cauldron seemed willing to do, but I was so caught up in what they were saying about producing the next generation of heroes. I might have figured it out earlier, if I wasn't so willfully blind about what was happening."

There was a pause as the group stared at him, considering his words.

"I believe you," the Batman said.

Legend turned slightly, fixating on the cloaked figure. "You do?"

"I have lie-detection equipment built into my helmet. Either you're a good liar, you're telling the truth, or you believe what you're saying. I'm leaning towards the latter, at least for now."

"Of course, there's still some reason for trepidation," Dragon said. "There's a possibility that this meeting is part of their schemes, whether you know about it or not. They might be trying to manipulate us into certain positions they find... preferable."

"Even if they're are, we can't let that stop us from trying to help Taylor. I can bring a lot to the table, and I'm willing to use it. All of us can bring something important to this fight."

"Like what?" the Batman inquired.

"Sunlight," Amy said. "He can make sunlight, like when he and I healed Taylor. Maybe he can act like a medic or something, making sure she still has the energy to fight."

"This is _Scion_ we're talking about," Dragon said. "Chances are Legend would get torn apart before he could contribute anything useful."

"I'm right here, you know," Legend said quietly.

Dragon turned to face him. "It's a good point, however unpleasant it sounds. You going alone to help Taylor would be suicide, but you might be able to stand a chance if we help along, provide cover and distractions. I'll need to scan Scion's portals if I even have a chance of hurting him, anyway."

Legend managed a weak smile. "So you'll let me help?"

"In a word? Yes."

* * *

**S**

* * *

Our surroundings flickered once more, and we were back on my Earth. The air was already growing thick with dust and ash where we had torn up the countryside, tinging the sky a beautiful red, as well as other colors outside of the visible spectrum. It was an interesting contrast, that the most gorgeous sunsets were often the ones created by the most terrible things.

Scion roared, reaching an impossible volume as he advanced upon me again. Everything around us seemed to almost shy away from him, as though even they feared what he could do. Golden light began to lace the brazen flesh of his hands, wildly fluctuating as he lashed out. I dodged the first blow, then responded in kind with an uppercut that split him from groin to chin. Scion rounded on me, still howling with unadulterated rage as he swung at me repeatedly, only to miss each time.

I was speeding up again, just like with the fight against the Simurgh. His frenzied attacks, which would have been too fast for the naked eye to see, were almost graceful as they sluggishly arced through the air. I still couldn't go too fast, however, not with there still being people that could get hurt in the process.

I began to alternate quicker between heat-vision and melee, not allowing him any time to adapt to my attacks as I continued to chip away at his reserves.

That was when he blasted out in all directions, dazing me once more as that strange effect of his assailed every part of my body. I stumbled away from Scion, trying to regain focus, only for him to finally connect with a fist to the jaw. There was a flash of golden light, and suddenly I was flying straight through the stratosphere, soon leaving the world below me as I reached the upper levels of the atmosphere. I looked down at the curvature of the globe, watching it slowly turn under my gaze.

For the briefest of moments, a portal formed, and Scion emerged from it. His mouth was still open, superfluous muscles tensing beneath his golden skin as he screamed, but his howl was utterly silent in the void of space. If it weren't for the fact that I was in the worst pain I had ever felt, I probably would have found the image comical.

Unfiltered sunlight prickled against my skin, and I found the strength to move again. I dove at Scion, punching clean through his body, watching as the portals connecting him to his real body shifted away from me. Emerging from his back, I twisted about so that he was in my sights, then opened fire with more heat-vision.

It was a study in contrasts, seeing how Scion fought. Sometimes, he seemed nothing more than an animal, wildly flailing out as he attempted to land a blow, but at other times he was frighteningly effective with his powers. Was he accessing Thinker powers, using them to find the best course of action to take? If he was, then why wasn't he using them all the time?

It didn't matter. My strength was returning with every moment we were there, but I knew it wouldn't be enough. As the fight progressed, I would be getting progressively weaker, while he would stay at full capacity until the exact moment of death. I remembered the myth of Sisyphus, of how he pushed a massive stone up a hill, only for it to come rolling back down and forcing him to start all over again.

As I watched Scion turn to face me, I felt a lot like that old Ephyrean king .

* * *

**S**

* * *

"Just received a report from a station in Vladivostok. Scion and Taylor are currently fighting in orbit over Kamchatka, reentry over Korea likely," Dragon said. "I'm preparing the Phantom Drive weapon right now; we can be there in a few minutes."

The Batman turned to face Legend. "Now's your last chance, if you have any sudden qualms about this. We can't force you to do anything, no matter how badly we may need your help."

Legend shook his head. "When I agreed to get my powers, I knew that I wouldn't stop trying to help as many people as possible. I can't go back and look my husband and son in the eye if I turn my back on Taylor, on _everyone_, like that. I'll do what I can to help, even considering just what we're going up against."

The Batman watched him keenly, watching his expressions, then gave a curt nod. "It's good to see you're willing to help."

"We should be leaving now," Dragon said.

Legend nodded. "I'll scout it out first, see what's going on before you arrive."

He headed down the hallway that led to the airlock. It slid open, revealing the frigid Arctic wastes, and he stepped outside. The horizon was hazy with distant smoke, a sign of the ongoing devastation. Legend watched it for a few moments, then sighed.

"I'm hope I'm not too late."

With that, he took off.

* * *

**S**

* * *

I fell rapidly back to the Earth below, like angel cast from Heaven by the wrath of God. The ground rushed up to meet me, and I smashed through hundreds of feet of dirt and rock as I came to a definitely-not-soft landing.

Scion reappeared using the portal maneuver again, more golden light suffusing his body as he drifted towards me. I darted from the fresh crater I had made, pulverizing even more of Scion's body as I tore into him like a giant buzz-saw. He seemed to be completely nonplussed by it, however, and simply responded by preparing another omnidirectional blast.

As I flew away to avoid it, however, he suddenly shifted, instead opting to fire a massive ball of light that missed me by a large margin. It arced over the mountains, swiftly covering ground as it headed to its target-

-which was Beijing.

Time began to slow down again as I peered through the mountains, observing the city in every minute detail. It was still half-full; the evacuations apparently had not gone as smoothly as the other ones I had seen. It was understandable, considering the sheer scale and population of the place. If the blast hit...

I forced myself to my feet, groaning at the pain in my ribs. I felt like a boxer after 13 rounds in the ring with a heavyweight champ, and it would only be getting worse as the fight dragged on. As I watched the city's impending doom approach, however, I realized what I had to do, consequences be damned.

Taking a deep breath, I took off.

Outracing the attack was easy enough; it was almost like watching a rock fall underwater with how ponderous it was. At first, I attempted to disperse the effect of the light with a burst of heat-vision, but it appeared to do absolutely nothing to it. With a sinking feeling in my gut, I intercepted it about twenty miles or so from the city, letting it strike me dead on.

The next thing I remembered, I was lying down in a crater big enough for an ocean liner to sail around in. Blackened earth surrounded me for thousands of feet in every direction, smoke and steam rising from every nook and cranny of it. Wincing, I managed to rise to a sitting position and absentmindedly wiped my mouth, only to feel something warm and wet. Looking down, I saw a streak of pinkish blood on my hand. It was strange, seeing myself bleed; I had only seen it once before, while fighting Behemoth.

Compared to the fight I was in at the moment, Behemoth was a walk in the park.

Scion drifted down into the crater, his fists glowing. He had stopped howling with rage, though I could still see the furious expression on his face. Moving with almost forced ease, he floated towards me, pointing a hand in my direction.

Before he could fire, however, a flurry of blue-white beams began to tear into his flesh. Scion turned to the new attacker, as did I.

Legend streaked across the sky, followed by Dragon's main battlesuit.

Help had arrived.

**A/N: Very sleepy at the moment. I will probably polish this chapter up immensely when I have the time tomorrow. My weekend is going to be very busy, so I wanted to get this chapter out before that happened. I guess that's one of my writing faults; I'm very impatient with this stuff. If you have any suggestions for improving the bit, feel free to comment.**


	52. Theomachy 10-3

"Reports are coming in from China," the Number Man said. "Superwoman is currently engaging Scion outside of Beijing. Legend is present, along with Dragon and the Batman. Casualties unknown at the moment."

"So, he's following the current Path at the moment," Doctor Mother said. "Hopefully, he'll be able to aid the Kryptonian while we send our forces."

"I still think we should have gone with him," Eidolon said. "It wouldn't have been too hard to make it look like we were quitting as well. Even though things have gotten tense, he still sees us as friends, and wouldn't have been suspicious if we decided to help him along."

"I understand your logic, but the Kryptonian and her allies wouldn't have allowed Legend to help them if you two accompanied him," Doctor Mother replied. "They might not be foolish enough to start a conflict with us, but they aren't willing to form an alliance, either. It's not the most utilitarian approach to the situation, but I can somewhat see their angle on the matter. They probably think we're willing to betray them at any given notice."

"When are we moving in?" Alexandria inquired. "The longer we let them fight it out, the higher the chance of Scion pulling out the _really_ big guns and wiping out any hope of resistance on our part."

"Very soon. But first, we must see what actually happens there before we can be certain, lest everything be lost."

* * *

**S**

* * *

Scion raced across the sky, leaving a faint golden streak that lasted for a few seconds as Dragon chased after him, bombarding him with missiles and lasers. As I watched them fight, Legend landed beside me, taking hold of my shoulder.

"I got you," he said, gently helping me to my feet. "Come on, you have to move."

"He's tough," I sputtered, wiping more blood from my split lip. "We've been duking it out, messing up a bunch of Earths. Been tearing away at him, but not enough." I rose, wincing. "Don't know how much longer I can keep up with this."

"Don't worry," he replied. "Dragon's keeping him distracted at the moment, and we have the Batman in a shuttle lending support."

"He's letting her think that she's being a distraction," I said. "Do you really think Dragon actually has a chance against him? No, he's toying with her, slowly taking her down to show that she _never_ stood a chance."

There was a flash of brilliant golden light behind the mountains, followed by a tremor that shook the ground violently. Peering closer, I saw that Scion had used his stilling attack again, stopping half of Dragon's drone's dead. They fell to the ground, completely useless. The other drones carried on their assault, alternating between missiles and lasers, but it was effective as chipping away a mountain with an icepick.

Legend turned to watch the battle as well, a frown on his face. "You can't go back out there like this. He's hurting you more than you're hurting him, I can tell that much." He looked back at me, thinking. "You need to be healed if you want to contribute any more to the fight."

"I need sunlight," I said. "Can't leave, though, not when he's able to keep on destroying cities without anyone in his way."

Legend took a few steps back and raised his hands. "That's why I'm here."

Just as I opened my mouth to ask, a flash of warm light erupted from him as a beam struck me in the chest, washing over my skin like a breeze. A pleasant tingling sensation shuddered across my body, and I felt almost relaxed, like I was stepping out of the shower instead of fighting for humanity's survival. The various aches and pains washed away, and I could feel my strength swiftly returning.

Another explosion rocked the ground, closer than before, and Legend cut the beam off. Scion was approaching us again, teeth clenched as he prepared to fire another one of his beams. What remained of Dragon's drones followed after him, as well as the shuttle Colin was piloting, but they wouldn't be able to stop him in time.

I could, however.

The ground beneath my feet practically imploded as I took off, reaching Scion before he had time to react.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"The Kryptonian is engaging Scion once more," the Number Man said.

Doctor Mother nodded, her hands tented in front of her face. "Good. Is Dragon also engaging him?"

"Yes. Right now they're currently back in Siberia, near the Kamchatka region. There is a high likelihood of them traversing over to Earth Aleph within the next fifteen minutes or so."

"Alright, then. Whatever weapon Dragon managed to cook up with that advanced technology aboard the ship, it's likely the closest chance we have. That 'Phantom Drive' must be kept safe at all costs until it is ready to deliver the payload."

"Does that mean we're finally moving out to fight him?" Alexandria inquired.

A nod. "Make sure that the Birdcage is accessed as well. If anything, they'll make for a distraction."

"Finally," Eidolon grumbled.

* * *

**S**

* * *

Scion roared, his entire body suffused with more of the golden light as he lashed out, trying to hit Dragon and I. A beam narrowly missed me, vaporizing a mountain in the distance, while another clipped my shoulder. It stung, but not like before. I felt good as new, better even; it would take more than that to put me out of the fight.

Legend rejoined us, a blue glow emanating from his skin as he raced across the sky and pelted Scion with lasers. They arced at impossible angles as they struck home, tearing deeply into his flesh and leaving temporary scorch marks. Scion began to adapt however, shifting an internal frequency as to cancel out the effects of Legend's powers. I made up for lost time by firing my heat-vision, blasting him down to his inner portals as I whittled down his well.

"Warhead's primed and ready to go," Dragon said, her main battlesuit carrying extra large ammo cases as it flew to my side. Peering inside, I saw that they had strange-looking bombs inside, looking more like ad hoc science projects than anything else. "I have four of them in stock."

"Do you think you can hit him?" I asked. "The real him?"

"I managed to analyze his portals while you were fighting him back in Beijing. I've set the Drive to the same parameters; it should connect us to his real self."

I nodded, watching as Legend kept Scion occupied, if only for a few moments. "Do it."

A low hum began to rumble from Dragon's suit, too deep for the human ear to detect. The Phantom Drive whirred, intricate parts spinning inside as it practically tore at the fabric of space itself. A warhead moved into place beside the engine, then disappeared in a flash of light.

Scion _screamed_. It was a wail of agony and rage, one utterly inhuman in tone and volume. The ground around us shook before the intensity of it, and I saw Legend rapidly backpedal away, blood trickling between gloved fingers as he covered his ears.

"Looks like we hit him," Dragon commented. "Didn't take out the entirety of him, but it looks like it managed to do some actual damage."

"How long until you can hit him again?"

"I need to cool the Drive before I can. It'll probably be a few minutes."

As Scion turned to us, I knew we didn't have that much time. The flesh of his face was changing, bones cracking and shifting underneath as his countenance was transformed into a caricature. It was a sign that he was disregarding his facade as a man, letting his real nature become more and more evident in order to express his rage. The body we saw was nothing more than a tendril snaking unknowingly through the Source, something that could be shifted to his liking.

As he prepared to fire, I moved in front of Dragon and raced forward. The beam struck me dead on, vaporizing the surrounding ground as vestiges were directed away, and I could feel an ache spreading from my ribs. It was still preferable to the alternative, however.

I swiped away at him again, removing hundreds of pounds of flesh with each passing second as I tore into his construct. Legend provided support with his lasers, while missiles arced down from Colin's shuttle. Scion howled with increased fervor, now that he knew we could really hurt him. As we grappled, I couldn't help but wonder: was there a twinge of fear in it? Was he acting even more vicious than before because he was actually starting to panic?

Scion blasted out in all directions, forcing me back. He pressed his advantage and lashed out at Legend, attempting to gut him with a right hook. His blows were clumsy, however, more like the swings of a rabid bear than a man. He was letting anger and fear cloud his judgment, giving in to the instincts he had given himself as he tried to force us away. I took advantage of it, ducking underneath his strikes as I continued to drain his reserves.

A portal suddenly opened nearby, and capes began to flood into the battlefield. Alexandria. Eidolon. Lung. Several I didn't recognize, most likely from the Birdcage and _Thanda_. They had probably stayed in hiding, waiting for the best possible opportunity to strike. It was rather small; apparently their recruitment drives hadn't gone as well as hoped.

Alexandria rushed beside me, planting a foot through Scion's head before drawing back and allowing Eidolon to put up a forcefield. It was most fortuitous, as a golden blast immediately shattered it but left Alexandria intact. She circled about the area, looking for the next chance to strike again.

The other capes contributed as well, alternately bathing Scion in flames or showers of projectiles that destroyed his flesh in a variety of ways. Blades erupted out of his body, while a white-hot beam lanced his head open like an overripe melon. Knowing just how much he had to spare, however, I could tell that they were barely engaging his interest.

The strange teenage girl I had seen from earlier floated over the charred landscape, held aloft by a spectral figure. Two more flew at her sides, while a fourth charged along the ground like a wild beast and took out Scion's legs. As that happened, the two figures at her sides opened fire, one complementing the other's power as they fired burning blades of light. They cut deep into Scion, taking out a good half of his torso.

I continued to grapple with Scion, trying to keep him distracted from Dragon as she prepared another warhead. My heat-vision strafed him across the chest, burning away more of his reserves, but he seemed almost... disinterested, as though he was focusing on something else.

Suddenly, he clapped again, using his stilling power so that it extended for dozens of meters. A few Birdcage inmates fell, and I saw that their hearts had completely stopped beating. Alexandria and the tougher capes staggered, but they survived, either by sheer durability or a clever use of their power. Nonetheless, it was still a devastating attack.

I wondered how much of his store of power did that take up. Was it negligible, or was it something that he dared only use a few times?

My thoughts were interrupted when Scion screamed in agony again, his light becoming almost blinding as he shrieked. Dragon must have hit him with another bomb delivered by the Drive, taking out even more of his reserves. He lashed out furiously, blindly firing off golden beams at any capes in sight. Most missed, though a few managed to glance an unfortunate combatant. Eidolon flickered, using a regenerative power to grow back his lost arm, and Lung collapsed to the ground, a hole punched through his chest.

Scion turned his attention back to me, an impossibly wide grimace on his distorted face. A cone of light blasted me full on, sending me flying until I hit a nearby mountain with enough force to shatter it. While I reeled from that, he started on Dragon's main battlesuit, preparing another shot.

My eyes widened. _No_. He must have used a Thinker power, figuring out that Dragon was the one hurting his main body. If he managed to land even a small hit on her...

Time seemed to freeze. The battle became still, almost like a grand painting of some ancient battle. Clouds of ash rose in the distance, casting a macabre light to the scorched lands. Capes surrounded Scion; some living, some dead. A few were on the offensive, while others reeled from the sheer force and ferocity Scion wielded against them. I gazed at the destruction and death wrought before my eyes, and I realized that it would all be for naught if I didn't act fast.

I took off from the crumbling remains of the mountain, racing towards Scion. I struck him in the shoulder, plowing through his body and knocking him off course. The hand twisted, a thin beam of light shooting from its palm. The spear of light raced forward, grazing Dragon in the flank of her suit. Advanced alloys gave way like tissue paper before a flame, peeling away and folding in upon itself. Dragon fell to the side, greasy smoke rising wherever the beam had made contact.

I was at her side in a heartbeat. The other capes continued the struggle, distracting Scion for a few precious moments. Considering just how quickly Dragon and I could think and speak with each other, it would be time enough.

"Phantom Drive is still working, but the warheads are busted," Dragon said, her voice crackling with static. Her speakers must have been damaged by the attack. "Whatever he used, it took apart the arming mechanisms, making them duds. I'll need an hour if I want to safely get them working."

"We don't have that much time. At this rate, I don't think there'll be anything left in half of that." I turned away from Dragon, watching as Scion lashed out at the remaining capes on the field. "The Drive is still working, right? What's the maximum size of something you can send through?"

Dragon was quick to put two and two together. "No. There has to be something else we can do, anything but that. If we send you across, there's no guarantee we'll be able to retrieve you afterwards. You could be trapped there, unable to ever reach us again."

"Do you have any better ideas?" I asked, gesturing to the chaos going on. "If I don't do it, Dad and Amy and Emma are going to be lost to me anyway. I might as well make sure they're alive if I can't ever see them again."

Dragon paused, thinking. Only a few seconds passed, but it seemed like an eternity to me.

Then, the ammo case hissed open, revealing the Drive.

"I can activate it remotely," Dragon said. "You'll probably end up in the general vicinity of his main body, but you'll have to move fast. If he manages to get you while you're there, he can just drop you off on another Earth."

I nodded. Turning to the Drive, I grabbed hold of it my hands, taking care not to damage to complex machinery within. It was cool to the touch, and the metal had an almost plastic texture to it. I hugged it close to my chest and took a deep breath, looking around me. In spite of it all, even as Armageddon loomed on the horizon, the world still managed to sustain that beautiful melody it always had. I listened deeply to it, taking in the billions of heartbeats across the globe, then breathed out.

"I'm ready."

The Drive whirred to life, emitting that strange aura again. It encompassed me, bringing an almost calming effect with it, and I found myself in a zen of sorts.

_This could be it,_ I thought to myself. _Today might be the day I died._

I thought of Mom and Dad, sharing a smile as we ate dinner. I thought of Emma, and the summers of our youth, where it seemed to stretch to eternity. I thought of Amy, of that connection we shared with each other.

_As long as they live, it will be worth it_.

"God speed, Superwoman," Dragon said.

The drive activated, and there was nothing but light.


	53. Theomachy 10-4

When the light faded, I found myself in an almost surreal landscape. Instead of the vast boreal forests I was fighting in previously, jagged crags of rock dominated the area. The sun shone down on me brighter than usual, and I could feel a pressure behind my eyes and fingernails. A vacuum. Whatever Earth Scion had chosen to deposit his real body, it was one where an atmosphere never formed.

There was more to the landscape, something that would haunt my dreams if I ever made it out alive. Not a lake of flesh, as with the shards, but a virtual _ocean_ of it. It twisted and curled about mountains, parts of it connecting to the portals that led to his avatar. Unlike the still, unresponsive flesh of his mate, it writhed with life, crackling with strange energies and flexing unconsciously.

It was not intact. Two massive craters marred Scion, pooling with bodily fluids as the ragged edges bled profusely. That was where Dragon's bombs had gone off, dealing massive amounts of damage to him. The flesh around it was dying, and I could see the entire thing shudder as something arced through the sextillions of nerve receptors. Pain?

I shook myself out of the strange daze seeing Scion's real self had on me. There was a reason I was sent here, and I had to fulfill it before time ran out. I threw the Phantom Drive upwards, letting it break escape velocity, then focused on my task at hand.

Heat welled around my eyes, and I lashed out, carving a massive trench across Scion. I flew higher, partly to get a better angle at him, and partly to avoid the stench of burning flesh. He, and it was actually him this time, trembled as the scarlet beam tore into him and the crust below, exposing the molten rock of the mantle.

When that felt too slow for me, I shifted tactics. Building up as much speed as possible, I rushed downward, fists pointing to the ground. Everything _stopped_ as I moved faster, nearing the line between the physics of Newton and the universe of the tachyon. I had only gone that fast a few times before, when I had fought Behemoth and the Simurgh. I could practically _feel _my mass increase exponentially as I dove, building up insane amounts of energy, yet I pushed myself even faster.

I was putting it all into the hit, moving faster than I had ever moved before.

I struck at the rough center of Scion's mass, a carpet of tissue deeper than the Pacific Ocean. The flesh and ground beneath gave way like a thin mist as I plowed into it, countless scintillations of light forming around me as atoms were forcibly fused together by my hit. The lights expanded outward in a dazzling array, almost like the birth of Creation itself played out in the span of a heartbeat and repeated ad infinitum.

The planet itself seemed to buckle under the force of the impact, straining to remain whole before my strength. Entire continental plates cracked and folded in upon themselves, crushing Scion under millions of tons of granite and basalt. Mountains crumbled, valleys filled up, and volcanoes spewed their dying breaths before being consumed by the destruction. I pushed deeper and deeper into the planet, unable to slow myself as I shot into the mantle.

Pain consumed me, wracking my entire body. It was nothing like I had ever felt before, even when Behemoth had almost killed me. My face felt raw, as though someone had taken a cheese grater to it, and a dull ache was making itself known in my left shoulder, stabbing into my side like a rusty blade as I shot through the inner layers of the planet. I felt myself growing groggy, my mind darkening as it attempted to shut down from the pain, but I pressed on.

A blinding light moved past me, burning at my side, and I realized, through the fog of pain, that it was actually the core. It grew distant again, and I could see the other side of the planet nearing me.

I punched through the thin crust, magma trailing behind me, and soared higher, still fast enough to break escape velocity. The dying world shrank beneath my feet, slowly becoming smaller and smaller.

Brushing away the blackness building in my vision, I willed myself to a stop. Slowly, I twisted about to look at the Earth below me, peering through to the side of the planet Scion was on.

The vast seas of flesh were all but destroyed now, torn apart beyond all repair. Whether by the force of continents breaking beneath, or the flash of plasma rolling over the surface, they had succumbed to the destruction, becoming as lifeless as his mate. The abandoned Earth continued to shudder from what I had done to it, quivering in its death throes as it was choked by clouds of smoke and ash. Fire rained down from the nascent skies, adding to the horrific inferno raging across what remained.]

I did it. Against all odds, I had done it.

Scion was no more.

My vision grew dimmer and dimmer, and I groaned in pain as the adrenaline wore off. My body was finally giving in to the stresses I had placed on it, practically breaking down like a machine sent into overdrive for too long. In my heart, I knew that death would come for me soon, to take me from my damaged flesh and into the Source, the great unknown that everyone has to face at one point in their lives, no matter what they did.

Despite it all, however, I still held on to that hope of seeing home again, that driving force that had pushed me to the very end. I hoped to see Dad again, to smell the grease and oils in his skin from his job at the Docks. I hoped to see Emma, and tell her about the latest news of the day. I hoped to see Amy, to hold her in my arms again and have everything be right with the world I loved so much.

_Hope._

I stopped holding back the blackness, and closed my eyes...

* * *

**S**

* * *

Only to open them again.

A blue sky stared down at me, completely devoid of clouds. Radio waves bounced off the ionosphere, and x-rays danced across the upper atmosphere as the sun shone down on me, prickling my skin delightfully. Compared to the hell I was in before, it was a pleasant break.

_Am I dead?_

I rose to a sitting position, and realized I was in a hospital bed. The room was a specialized design of sorts, one with a massive sunroof over it that served to provide ample lighting. Sunlight shone down, prickling my skin and sending trills of pleasure up my spine.

"Glad to see you're finally awake."

I turned to the source of the voice. Colin was sitting nearby, along with one of Dragon's human-sized suits. He was still in costume, though the helmet was resting on his knee. Bags were under his eyes, and I could tell just how tired he was feeling. Despite it, he managed a weak smile.

"H-how?" I asked, testing out my voice. A little raspy, but otherwise okay.

"The Phantom Drive," Dragon replied. "As soon as you disappeared, we set about to replicating another one with the nanofabbers aboard the Kryptonian ship. The AI was very willing to cooperate, and removed any restrictions while we made it. Took us almost a day, but we were ready to go as soon as it was done. After that, it was a simple matter of arriving at Scion's Earth and finding you."

"Simple, but not easy," Colin said. "Finding something as small as, well, you, is not a walk in the park. We sent out as many drones as we could manage, scanning the planet and orbitals until we finally located you in MEO. Then, we took you in for treatment. The sunlight in orbit managed to keep you from dying, but you were a total wreck. Six broken ribs, a crushed trachea, severe lacerations along the face and chest, and, well..." He gestured to my side.

I followed his gaze, tracing its path until it landed on my arm. There was a faint, but noticeable, line around my elbow. It was rather jagged looking, and when I looked further, I realized that it extended all the way down to the crystalline bone beneath.

"You... you had to reattach my arm?"

"Proved to be easier than expected," Dragon said. "Amy and Legend contributed immensely, as well as some advice from Riley. There should be some lingering nerve damage, but that will heal in a few days."

I twitched my fingers experimentally, slowly curling and uncurling them, watching the tendons and ligaments shift beneath my skin. There was a faint sensation of numbness, but nothing more, thankfully. I let my arm fall back down to the bed, still gazing at it.

"Jesus Christ," I murmured. "I knew it was bad, but..."

"You almost died out there," Colin said. "If we had arrived even an hour later, we wouldn't have been able to save you."

I turned back to them. "Is my dad...?"

"He's fine," Dragon replied. "So is Amy and Emma, before you can ask. During Scion's rampage, they were evacuated to Earth Gimel via the Brockton Bay portal."

"How many others?" I asked, the full gravity of yesterday's events finally catching up to me. "I mean, what were the casualties?"

Colin sighed. "Bad. Iceland got badly hit in the initial engagement between you and Scion. Hamburg, Madrid, Berlin, and London got some damage as well, not to mention the fight in Beijing. And that's just on this Earth. Earth Aleph had some devastation, as well as Earth Shin and Earth Dalet. Estimates are going to be very rough at the moment, but it's definitely in the high millions."

It felt as though someone had slugged me in the gut. I leaned forward in the bed, cupping my face in my hands. "Millions," I half-whispered to myself, trying to keep tears from showing. "So many millions of people I failed to save from him."

"You can't blame yourself for that," Dragon said. She moved forward, putting a firm hand on my shoulder. "It would have been worse if not for you. _Much_ worse. There would have been billions of people slaughtered, entire Earths depopulated. You knew there would be casualties going in, Taylor."

I took a shuddering breath. "It's one thing to know, and another to experience. There are so many things I need to help with right now. Recovery efforts, rebuilding, getting everyone back... what happened to those Cauldron guys? To the Birdcage inmates?"

"We're not entirely helpless without you, you know," Colin said. "We're working on all of that right now. The remaining members of the Protectorate, the ones who weren't in with Cauldron, are helping along nicely. The actual Cauldron capes haven't been spotted yet; they high-tailed it after Scion bit the bullet. Chances are we'll see them again."

I stepped off the bed, stretching lightly. The hospital gown I was wearing was not exactly the most modest form of clothing, and I wrapped my arms around my torso. "Is there anything of my suit remaining?"

"The cape has a few holes in it, but it's otherwise intact," Dragon replied. "It's been actually knitting itself back together, though it's slow goings. Unfortunately, your suit is totaled. There's a few more in stock onboard the ship, if you want to get back in cape garb again."

"That sound's good," I said. "But first, there's something I need to do first."

* * *

**S**

* * *

Amy paced around the hall, a hand buried in her curly hair as she mumbled to herself. Occasionally, she would glance back at the closed door to the room, waiting, then resume her pacing. A few hours had already passed that way, and she would spend a few more hours if need be.

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her stomach, and she felt someone nuzzle into the crook of her neck.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Amy turned about, returning the hug. "Thank god," she whispered. "When they brought you in, I thought..."

Taylor pressed her forehead against Amy's, embracing her deeply. "Shhh. It's okay, it's okay. I'm here, Amy. I'm okay."

"There's so much going on right now. I mean, everything's pretty much in chaos. The news, the roads, everything. I'm scared to think about what's going to happen next. What are we going to do?"

Taylor pressed her lips against hers, calming her. Pulling away, a small smile graced her lips.

"I'm Superwoman. I can do anything."

**A/N: So ends the arc. I am really tired, and really iffy about the past two chapters. Don't be surprised if I make a bunch of edits over the next few days.**


	54. Epilogue - Tomorrow

_Two Months After Golden Noon._

"Excuse me."

Annette looked up from the book she was reading, her brow furrowed slightly. A teenager was standing across the table from her, anxiously shifting from side to side. Her hair was cropped short, so much so that one might have mistaken her for a rather feminine boy at first glance, and she looked no older than fourteen. She was tall for her age, however, and Annette could see the girl's muscles under her sweatshirt; she looked as though she had been in intense sports for years. A pair of thick-rimmed glasses adorned the bridge of her nose, obscuring the blue eyes underneath.

"I'm sorry, but..." Annette began.

The girl sighed. "Don't feel embarrassed or anything; I didn't expect for you to know me." She sat down, slouching as she did so, and Annette realized that it was on purpose. "It's just that... in a way, I'm your daughter."

Annette's eyes shifted, scanning the empty café for possible ways out in case things went out of hand.

The girl let out a small chuckle. "I can tell I'm making you nervous. I'm sorry about that; there's just no other way to really put it. _You're_ not my mother. This version of you, anyway. The version of you from Earth Bet was my mother, but not even then, as I was... adopted."

"I see. I guess I should have expected something like this when the portals started opening up, but it just didn't seem very likely at the time. I mean, the odds of two versions meeting..."

"Are infinitesimal," the girl finished. "Yeah, I know. The version of you where I come from, the one who raised me, she died around a year back. Car accident. I guess I just wanted to see her face again, even if it isn't really her."

Annette closed her book, fidgeting with the hard cover. She glanced down, watching as the sunlight glanced off the words _Lord of Light_ embossed on the front. "There's nothing wrong with wanting that, I suppose. If we were in different places, I would be lying if I said didn't want to do the same." She looked back up from the book. "What's your name?"

The girl chuckled again, more nervous than the last. "Well, it's kinda complicated. Hell, I probably even't shouldn't be talking to you, let alone telling you my name. I came here to help out with the refugees; seeing you was something that just popped up at the last minute."

"Oh, you're an aid worker? A bit young to be one, considering you'd have to be under eighteen. Does the other Earth have different labor laws or something?"

The girl straightened in her seat, tall enough to look Annette in the eye. "You know what? Screw it."

Slowly, as though she was still debating the decision, she removed the glasses and folded them. Without the thick lenses to impede the view, Annette saw that the girl's eyes were _really_ blue, inhumanly so, yet she could tell it wasn't the work of contact lenses or make-up. They were like a clear sky in the mountains, reaching a shade she had never really seen before.

The realization hit her like a freight train. _I recognize that face. It's been splayed on the papers and net for weeks, now._

"Y-you're her," Annette said. "The alien girl on the other Earth, the one who stopped that Scion thing. Superwoman."

The girl nodded. "Ever since all of these Earths have linked up, I've been moving around, helping as much as I can," she said, her voice deeper than before, almost a contralto. "Hasn't been easy, but it needs to be done. So much got destroyed those months ago, and it's resting on everyone to help rebuild, myself included."

Annette scooted away from the table, rubbing her face. "Sorry, sorry, just freaking out a little," she said hurriedly. "I didn't actually think I'd meet _you_ of all people."

Superwoman sighed. "I shouldn't have come here. Sorry for interrupting your day like this."

She rose to leave, only for Annette to gesture for her to stay. The older woman took a deep breath and pulled her seat back in. "No, no, you don't have to leave. I'm feeling better, now that the shock is starting to wear off. Don't let me scare you off, especially considering the circumstances."

Superwoman paused, thinking, then sat back down. She grabbed her glasses and slid them back on, her slouch reappearing. Once more, she looked like any teenage girl, not the savior of humanity. Annette had to admit, it was a clever disguise.

"You must have a lot on your mind right now, seeing someone who looks like your mother after so long. I can only imagine what you're thinking right now."

"A lot, really. So much has happened in the last few months, and I've barely had the time to think about it. Learning I was an alien, discovering my powers, becoming a cape, falling in love... that's enough to last a lifetime, and my life's barely getting started."

"That's just life, really. You think you've seen all that's going to happen, then a curveball comes at you. You might have it a lot more than others, but you're not alone in it, you know. You're in it with everyone else."

Superwoman shrugged. "True, I guess." She rose to her feet again. "I couldn't stay here for long. There's so much to do, and so many places to do it in. Helping with refugees here, then reconstruction on Bet... a lot of work on my hands right now." She turned, and made for the exit.

"Superwoman," Annette began.

"Taylor," came her reply. She turned, a small smile on her face. "Taylor Anne Hebert."

"Taylor," Annette repeated. "Whoever your mother was, the version of me over on Bet... she was very lucky to have you."

The smile widened, tinged with something deeper. Sadness, perhaps. "Thank you."

She left the café, the door gently swinging shut behind her.

* * *

**S**

* * *

"I've learned something over the past few months," I said, sitting down at the makeshift table in the hall of the ship.

Colin looked up from the reports he was reading. His cowl was different now, with a pair of stylized horns on its head that gave him an almost monstrous silhouette. After months of trying to live it down, he had finally embraced his moniker. "Oh?"

"When I first started out, trying to be a cape and everything, I thought I could do this alone," I said. "I mean, if I could take down Hookwolf on my first night out, what could the gangs in Brockton Bay throw at me? And after that, when I became the girl who killed Behemoth, I thought I could handle _everyone_, become a one-girl crusader for justice and stuff. Pretty foolish of me, but something like that seems pretty feasible when you're on top of the world."

"Everyone has that in their heads at first, when they become a cape," Dragon said. "When I first started producing suits, I thought I would be able to mop up the gangs in Canada. Saint disillusioned me of that pretty quickly."

"Same here," Amy admitted sheepishly. "Though, I was thinking more of hospitals than anything else."

I rubbed my left arm absentmindedly, tracing where the scar had been. It felt good as new, though I found myself preferring my right more and more when it came to writing. "Took me something a bit bigger than any of that. Even before then, though, I still had to rely on others."

"You mean Behemoth," Colin said.

I nodded, then turned to Amy. "If it weren't for you and Legend, I would've died after the fight." I shifted again, looking back to Dragon. "If you hadn't started Tinkering with the Phantom Drive, we wouldn't have beaten Scion. All of these contributions helped me along, made me into who I am today."

"Don't sell yourself short," Amy said. "We'd all be dead if it wasn't for you."

I shrugged gently, running a hand through my hair. Parts of it had been burnt after the fight, and so I decided to cut it short instead of trying to have Amy grow it back. "Still, it shows that I never did anything alone. No matter what I did, someone helped, even if it was only in a small way."

"What point are you getting at, anyway?" Colin inquired.

"To be honest? I'm thinking about what we've done together, what we _could_ do together. There's still a lot of problems out there, entire Earths that need help, and there's only so much I can do. When we put our heads together and combined our efforts, we managed to beat _Scion_. Think of what we could do to help with recovery if we didn't go our separate ways."

"So, basically, you think we shouldn't split up," Dragon said. "I never even considered doing that, and I'm pretty sure the same goes for Colin. Why bring it up all of a sudden?"

I thought about the meeting I had with M- er, Annette a week ago, and the words of advice she had given me.

"We need to be more than a group," I finally said. "We need to be a symbol, to show everyone that we're all in this together, no matter what you are. Artificial intelligences, parahumans, Kryptonians; we're all trying to make the world a better place. Our Earth's distrustful of parahumans, now that the truth about Cauldron and Scion are out. The Protectorate is getting flack from both the public and the government, but they're still trying to help. We need to show that we can still be a force of good, a team."

"You want to make us into a public team?" Amy asked.

I nodded. "Why not? When people see that even the Endslayer, the Savior of Golden Noon, needs the help of others, the impact of our message will hit deeper."

"That actually is a good point," Dragon admitted. "I've been giving the thought of making a team myself, though there's still my membership in the Guild to consider. I'd imagine they'd be willing to join in if we go public."

"It sounds like a good idea to me as well, but I'm not sure if I can join," Colin said. "It'll be hard to sell the whole "dark avenger of the night" shtick when I'm a member of a big team full of colorful characters like you and Dragon. If we go ahead with it, I think I'll just be an "honorary member", so to speak."

I shrugged. "Shouldn't be hard to manage."

"What would the team be called, anyway?" he continued.

"How about 'the Superfriends'?" Dragon offered, trying to hide a snicker.

I leaned back in my seat, tenting my hands as I tried to storm up a name for the team. Suddenly, a large grin broke out on my face. Straightening in my seat, I leaned forward.

"I was thinking more like... a Justice League."

* * *

**S**

* * *

I sat down on the bench beside Emma, folding one leg over the other as I watched the scene unfolding across the bay. A portal was forming near the beach, leading to Earth Gimel. Apparently, there were vast oceans out there that had never known of fishing, which would be a massive boon to the city's economy. Naturally, environmentalists protested the motion, and I still felt a bit uneasy about it, but the logic was somewhat sound. It would be time before everyone learned to be more ecologically aware, and having two oceans to fish from would really help reduce the strain put on our Earth.

"How many of these other Earths are out there?" Emma asked.

"Tons. Bigger than any number we can conceive; more than there are particles in the universe. Pretty mind-boggling, if you think about it." I breathed deeply, taking in the scents of the coming spring. "I can actually see them, now. It came in little bursts at first, like with seeing the Source, and got more focused as the weeks went by. If I focus juuust right, I can see how this is in Aleph, or Gimel. Not easy, though, considering just how many there are."

"I stopped trying to think about it when people started throwing around exponents," Emma said, rubbing her hands together. "Fucking crazy. So much has happened with just a few of them opened up, and we're not even scratching a few atoms off the surface or something."

"It's insane, how big it all is. I mean, is it possible that there's an entirely separate Earth, somewhere out there, where there's two versions of us having the exact same conversation? The numbers seem against it, actually, but still..."

"Maaaaaaaaybe we should move away from this heavy discussion topic," Emma said. "So, how are things with you and Amy? You two... ya know..."

I turned to her, shocked but not surprised at the boldness of her question. Leaning back into the bench, I sighed.

"No. At least, not yet, anyway. We're a bit young for that, don't you think?"

Emma shrugged. "Eh. You two seem made for each other."

"There's always the chance things might not work out," I said. "Maybe we'll stay together, but that isn't set in stone."

"It'd be pretty hard to find another date," Emma said. "You know, with the whole "I'm actually an alien superhero" bombshell you'd have to drop at some point."

I chuckled. "Yeah, that raises a good point." I rose from the bench, dusting myself off. "Anyway, I have to go. There's some stuff I need to attend to."

"Just one last thing," Emma said.

I turned to her. "Yes?"

"How do you keep it real? I mean, I'd be acting pretty cocky if I had powers like you, 'specially after you beat down Scion."

I paused, then turned my gaze skyward. The vast expanse of the universe hung above me like the most beautiful mural ever painted, something crafted over billions of years by seemingly random forces. I could see countless stars through the glare of daylight, illuminating the endless void around me. If I focused enough, I could see the light of the Source itself, fractured into a myriad of countless infinities.

"Sometimes, when I think I'm getting a bit full of myself, I just look up at the sky, and remind myself of just how _small_ I actually am."

I turned back on my original heading, and took off.

* * *

**S**

* * *

_Five Months After Golden Noon_

"Has everyone arrived?"

The hologram of Jor-El nodded. "Dragon brought the last one of them aboard fifteen minutes ago. They're waiting in the hall as we speak."

I paced around the bridge of the ship, rubbing my hands together. "Okay, good. Feeling a little nervous right now."

"It's to be expected," the AI replied.

I stopped, looking out the windows around the bridge. Earth filled most of the view, spinning underneath us like a delicately carved and painted marble. It was easier than expected to get the ship into orbit, but renovating proved to be far more difficult. Removing anything that might cause accidents, storing away files on more dangerous technologies, making sure Riley's cell was secure... the list went on and on. Eventually, however, we managed to make it a fine base of operations.

Amy stepped inside, wearing her uniform. "Crowd's getting kinda antsy. Ready to do the speech?"

I let out a long sigh. "Yeah, I guess. Why aren't we having Dragon do it?"

"Because they didn't come for Dragon," Amy replied.

"I heard that."

Amy scowled. "Whatever. They came to see Superwoman give a speech, and you're going to deliver." She gave me a peck on the cheek, then gently pushed at my back. "Come on, let's not keep the crowd waiting any longer. They agreed to come aboard, despite all the stuff on their hands."

I let her push me to the doorway, then stepped through and made my way up the podium we had hastily erected. A good fifteen capes or so were in the main hall, waiting for me. Two or three were independents, but the rest had been members of teams at some point. Legend stood at one side, along with Chevalier and Miss Militia. I could also recognize a Case 53 in the group, a metal boy named Weld.

Any conversations they were having died when they realized I was present, and the room became deathly quiet. I surveyed the room, then took a deep breath. _Stay calm_.

"Welcome," I began. "We have gathered you here to make an offer of membership to a team we are making..."

* * *

**S**

* * *

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**Topic: Cauldron Whereabouts?  
In: Boards ► Worldwide ► Cape Doings ► Villains**

**accelpoeration **(Bet User) (Veteran Member) (Original Poster)  
Posted on May 14th, 2010:

So, it's been a few months since Golden Noon passed, but we still haven't gotten a whiff of the conspiracy group who was planning for it. Are they dead? In hiding? Away on some other Earth? This is the speculation thread, so feel free to go nuts.

(**Showing Page 121 of 456)**

**nomolesti** (Aleph User)  
Posted on May 22nd, 2010:

Don't ask me. I think we'd know if a conspiracy consisting of powerful parahumans was hiding here. :p

**omgtehrei** (Bet User) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on May 22nd, 2010:

Considering how well they were able to hide in plain sight, I wouldn't be surprised if they're still lurking around somewhere. I mean, a team like them probably has Shifters and Masters who can help with camouflage, right?

**gameraisbetterthangodzilla** (Shin User)  
Posted on May 22nd, 2010:

Or, they're just hiding on another Earth. They have a few hundred trillion trillion trillion to pick from. Finding them doesn't sound like a very easy thing to do.

**godzillaisbetterthangamera** (Aleph User) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on May 22nd, 2010:

First off, what a coincidence. Second off, I'd imagine they're a bit limited in places where they can hide. There must be Earths that are too dangerous to make bases in, or just plain shitty ones. Even if they are only small fractions, that still knocks a few trillion universes off of our list.

**nomolesti** (Aleph User)  
Posted on May 22nd, 2010:

I wonder if that new Justice League team is looking for them?

**Superwoman** (Bet User) (Verified Cape) (League Chairwoman)  
Posted on May 22nd, 2010:

We are, but they're a low priority, despite the terrible things that they did.

Firstly, there is still a lot of damage that needs reparation ever since Golden Noon. There are millions of refugees that need homes, which requires a great deal of resources and logistics. Between bringing a few bad people to justice, and saving countless people from dying of starvation and disease, the latter is a preferable option.

Secondly, there are the issues of uncontrolled trigger events going on. Since Scion is no longer around to manage them, people are often horribly mutating when they gain powers, almost like an exaggeration of the Case 53s. If we want to properly address the issue, we need to stop the source at the root. That has two main options. The first: I go around and disable everyone's shard connections, which would involve a lot of legal issues since they are unlicensed medical operations. The second: We find the Earths that have shards, then scour them. Either option is time-consuming and difficult, but must be done if we want to save trillions of lives over the coming decades.

And finally, we need to help with integration. One Earth doesn't get along with itself, now imagine _four_. We already had that scare between the CUI and the PRC last month, and I have a feeling that won't be the end of it, especially as we contact more and more Earths. To combat this, we are planning on offering memberships to capes and specially trained individuals across all the contacted realities.

Hope this helps. :)

**nomolesti **(Aleph User)  
Posted on May 22nd, 2010:

Did... did Superwoman just respond to my post? And give me a smiley face?! Holy shit holy shit holy shit! :D :D :D

**omgtehrei** (Bet User) (Veteran Member)  
Posted on May 22nd, 2010:

Well, that was unexpected.

**bakabjorn **(Shin User)  
Posted on May 22nd, 2010:

Fuck me. Sweeeet. I can't believe she actually got an account.

**(End of Page) (121, 122, 123,... 456)**

* * *

**S**

* * *

_Six Months After Golden Noon_

Amy nuzzled against me, holding my hand tightly as we walked down the street.

"Lovely day, isn't it?"

I nodded, pulling her closer. Summer was in full force once more, bringing about lush greenery throughout the parks in the city. Everything was more vibrant than before, and not just because of my ever-expanding vision. With the nearby portal, the Bay was in full boon again, pulling it out of the deep depression it had been in before.

"Yes, yes it is," I said.

"I wonder how long this is going to last. The boon, that is. I mean, everything is going fine right now, but it's going to have to come to a stop eventually, right?"

"Maybe," I replied. "But that doesn't mean it's going to turn horrible again, either. I think the worst is behind us."

There was a pause as we continued down the street, heading towards the beach. The waters were still a bit polluted, but nothing like the sewage choked broths they had been less than a year ago.

"Do you think _we're_ going to last?" Amy asked, her voice soft. "I mean, how often do first relationships stay together?"

I stopped and turned to her. Then, I pulled in close, pressing my lips against hers.

"I'm not sure," I replied, my voice quiet. "But I do know this, Amy. As long as we're together, I'm going to enjoy every last moment of it."

"Always an optimist, aren't you?"

I tapped my breastbone, right where the sigil of my uniform lay under my shirt. "Well, it _is_ the family crest, after all." I moved to kiss her again, only for my phone to beep. Sighing, I fished it out of my pocket and held it to my ear. "Hello?"

"_Taylor? It's Dragon. Just wanted to let you know there's an earthquake in Aleph-Turkey that'll need League assistance._"

"Alright," I replied. Snapping the phone shut, I turned back to Amy. "Work needs us."

"Well, let's get going, then," she said, sighing.

I smiled, then leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Don't worry; we can finish the date later. Head over to the station for pick up; I'll meet you there later."

Amy smiled back. "That sounds good."

I watched her go, then made for a secluded place to get into my uniform. I unbuttoned my shirt, revealing the sigil underneath, then paused, thinking.

Turning, I focused my vision, peering into the heart of the Source itself, where infinity itself was displayed for me to see. I fixated on one spot in particular, a window to someplace only I could see...

...where I see _you_...

...and winked.

"This looks like a job for Superwoman."

* * *

**You have been reading**

**_The Last Daughter_  
**

* * *

**Superman was created by JERRY SEIGEL and JOE SCHUSTER**

* * *

**Batman was created by BOB KANE and BILL FINGER**

* * *

**Worm was created by J.C. McCRAE**

* * *

**This story uses elements from various other franchises. None of them are mine, and all credit goes to the original creators. This is a non-profit work meant solely for fun and entertainment.**

* * *

** Superman shows us time and time again that we can be better than what we are. When things are at their worst, there is still a glimmer of hope, and he exemplifies that like no other character. This story may be far from perfect, but I hope that it brings out the themes he stands for. Because of him, there is still an excited child inside of me, looking around at the world with awe and wonder.**

**This**** is an imaginary story. But aren't they all?**

**...**

**Is anyone still actually reading this? If you are, good.**

**You didn't actually think I forgot about Sleeper, did you?**

* * *

_Much earlier..._

A man sat in a simple lawn chair, reading a book aloud to himself. On the surface, there appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary about him. His clothes were nondescript, and there was no sign at all of what lurked underneath. There was only a strange glint in his eyes, one that hinted at something beyond his exterior.

Deep within Sleeper, watching the outside world with eyes he didn't control, a man sobbed to himself. He raged at the dark force that bound him, stripped him of his will, but it was as useless as draining an ocean with a dropper. Despite it, however, he pushed on, clinging on to that last sliver of hope within his soul.

_Please,_ he whimpered. _Please, you don't have to keep me like this. Just leave me or kill me, I don't care anymore._

Another voice chuckled, the sound dragging across the back of the man's mind like a rusty blade.

**_Death would be a kindness to you,_** it rumbled, its voice as deep as hate itself. **_No, you are needed where I am going. I need a body if I wish to further my plans, as well as someone to torment. You suffice for both, insect. Be grateful you will not be required for as long as your predecessors had been. The Kryptonian's presence has forced me to accelerate things. For too long I have been here, recuperating from my being cast from my own world. The time has come to truly regain what I have lost._**

The man's body snapped the book shut, then rose to its feet, guided along by the dark presence like a marionette. The man struggled against the presence's control, trying to move of his own accord, but it was utterly futile.

_**Please,**_ _**continue,**_ the voice said, a hint of amusement lining its words. _**It**** will give me great pleasure to see your will break like the others before you.**_

_Why are you doing this? _the man asked. _Why do such terrible things to the people in your territory? Why take me over and make me into a puppet, just like all your other victims?_

_**Why? Is not the answer clear? I enjoy this, insect. I am incomplete when there is no one to torment, to rule over and terrorize. It is why I seek for the antithesis to life itself.**_

_What, that's it? You just want to kill everyone?_

The voice chuckled again, scraping at the edges of the man's consciousness, gnawing away at his soul. For the briefest of moments, he swore he felt something _beyond_ the presence, but dismissed the thought. The alternative was too horrifying to comprehend.

**_I do not wish for everything to meet with death,_** it said. **_Death is but the negation of life, the end of it. No, I seek for something else. Life is not just the existence of living things. It is _freedom_. Choice. The ability to control and decide your own destiny, to carve out an identity for yourself. It is a disgusting, chaotic thing, and I will turn it upon itself and make it _mine_. I will corrupt life itself, steal away its soul and make it part of me for all eternity._**

The man found himself lurching forward, moving against his own volition. He exited the drab stone room that were his quarters and prison, making for the vast courtyard within. It was nighttime outside, and the Moon was nowhere to be seen. The blackness of the night was overwhelming, deadening the colors he managed to see.

**_Everything in Creation has an opposite, a yin to a yang. Order and Chaos. Beginning and End. Life, and _Anti-Life.**

Something flickered before him, like a swirl of concentric rings, then solidified into something else. It was like a vast starry field had been revealed through the circle cut into the air, laying bare an entire universe beyond the one he knew. As the moments passed, however, he realized that they weren't stars. They were Earths.

Infinite Earths.

_**There are places I must go to, **_the voice said. _**Armies to build, allies to make. It will take time, but time is one of the few things I have in overabundance. Soon, everyone will know there was a time when **_**the old gods died.**

The man moved forward, screaming inwardly at the sight before him, and stepped through.

**_Soon, all will be _Darkseid.**

* * *

**The adventures of The Last Daughter of Krypton will continue in:**

**_CRISIS_  
**


End file.
